>>But it is really child's play compared to everything else >>that a good programmer must do to make a software system >>that succeeds for both the customer and myriad colleagues >>for whom she is partially responsible.<p>Why the use of the word "she" ? I see a lot of articles written where the undefined person will be a she. I speak french, and "person" is a feminine name, so you can say about a person "she", but why in English ? Especially when in male dominated jobs like programming. A programmer is likely to be a he than a she, so why try <i>this</i> hard to be politically correct.
What is wrong with us in this sick, perverted, twisted, dying and rotting industry? If you encounter these problems, start applying to a new position. Don't deal with management; don't "educate" them. Don't fix the organization you've tricked yourself into joining. Just polish your resume and leave. It seems like we're an industry that <i>defines</i> Stockholm Syndrome.
"Programming languages should really be called notations in that learning one is not at all as difficult as learning a natural language."<p>Brilliant! This whole section on choosing a language is great.<p>"One tends to think of a large system that has components in three or four languages as a messy hodgepodge; but I argue that such a system is in many cases stronger than a one-language system..."<p>This part sounds insane until you start working with eventually consistent messaging like:
<a href="http://www.reactivemanifesto.org" rel="nofollow">http://www.reactivemanifesto.org</a>
Woah you weren't kidding about "Comprehensive". Yet it really is short and seems to encapsulate every thing it talks about pretty well.<p>Thanks a lot for this!
My favorite part is <i>How to Deal with Organizational Chaos</i> <a href="http://samizdat.mines.edu/howto/HowToBeAProgrammer.html#id2855892" rel="nofollow">http://samizdat.mines.edu/howto/HowToBeAProgrammer.html#id28...</a> especially:<p><pre><code> Engineers have the power to create and sustain.</code></pre>
Here's a shorter version: Are you so inspired by a software product or service that you are driving yourself mad thinking about how it was created? Great, do whatever you can to write your own version. Keep at it. Seriously, keep at it. Are you so obsessed with figuring this out that you are unaware that hours are passing by while you work? Awesome. You have discovered a true passion. Now you don't need to read things titled "How to Be a Programmer" because you will drive yourself to become one innately.<p>For everyone else, go ahead and try to read things titled "How to Be a Programmer" but don't expect it to actually help you, you know, BECOME one.