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Hugh Pickens writes:

Vindu Goel reports at the NYT that Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg, addressing questions from Facebook users at his second town hall meeting with the public, shared the secret of his success telling users that mistakes are good and that successful people not only learn from their mistakes but spend most of their time making mistakes. “If you’re successful, most of the things you’ve done were wrong,” said Zuckerberg. “What ends up mattering is the stuff you get right.” If you get a few big things right, he said, “you can make some pretty important changes in the world.” Zuckerberg also discussed the importance of software programming skills. “If you can code, you have the power to sit down and make something and no one can stop you,” he said, predicting that schools would eventually require everyone to learn a little coding because it sharpens analytical skills that are useful in a wide variety of professions.

When asked what he thinks about Facebook becoming synonymous with wasting time, Zuckerberg said he wasn't sure he agreed with the premise of the question. He explained everyone is told they'll have time for life after finishing school or their homework, but they forget to realize that friends and family is what matters in life. Facebook, he said, helps connect people in a way society doesn't always offer. "We're proud of our contribution there," Zuckerberg said. "If we could make people a little more connected then I think that's valuable."