Most scripting needs you encounter are very simplistic, they are simple loops of somekind. And revolve a round a repeat this with some sort of conditions. Some examples include:
Basic file manipulation:
renaming a huge amount of filesmoving things to backuplisting all referenced filesmoving files to a webpage...Basic replication/repetition:
Repeat a operation for all selected objectsRepeat same operation over again with changed valuesDuplicate objects with some mathematical patternGet values form fles and apply them to scene as locators (youd be supprised how often exactly what you need is in excel form)....Basic batching:
After render is complete compress a thumbnail videoWhen you log onto the computer backup folder XAt 00:00 launch all unrendered tests.run sequence of programs automatically, such as illustrator. then photoshop ,then max...Theese are all stuff that you can be teached to do in about a week. The reason people dislike talking of scripting is because it can be convoluted indefinitely. And the reason they think they cant learn it is that its alien (i find usually it takes 1 week to teach the stuff, 3 for them to acclimatize/resign to the fact that they ought to). But the basic tasks are enough.
Often if you know how to use a program you can pick up scripting in it in less than day. And some say unless you learned a single thing of scripting its doubt full you knew the application, it tend to agree with reservations. The language used is unimportant, if you can one well you can pick up a new one in a jiff. By the time you know 2 you can grasp most in a heartbeat.
The bigger reasons to learn scripting are
So you can get the computer to do repetitive tasks for you, without mistakes. This is valuable knowledge so learn it just for that, trust me its not going to be time you could have spent better. If you never needed this then count yourself lucky, but you will.Even when you have a TD to watch your back, its good to know scripting. For several reasons, the main one being you will find its often MUCH easier ti commission him to do something you really need if you can communicate with him effectively. Knowing the fundamental ideas behind scripting and code can help you to get the job done in 1/10th of the time it would take otherwise.You don't actually learn to scriptting by teaching you learn to do what was teached. But doing the first one is actually important, it is seed that will grow if you let it. You can literary pick the slack up 5 years from that initial contact. I know I did.
PS: even if you intend to always sit besides a td he will not be present when you do your own personal art stuff.