A Real Programma!
Amiross has posted a few lists of stuff that every programmer/engineer should read or know about. In the list of papers, I had only read one before (to my shame and dishonor!) which incidentally is an old favorite of mine, or more like a holy writ: Ken Thompson‘s Reflections on Trusting Trust. Apparently, this speech is considered a classic work about computer security (the guy is seriously concerned about computer security in 1983, and guess what, 20 years later it became a day-to-day worry for everybody!) but that’s not what captivates me about this.
When I read it back in the day and when I read it now, I see a programmer. I real programmer. I see the heart, the soul and the attitude of a great hacker, a programmer and A Wise Man.
People don’t see programming as an art. Hell, even us programmers don’t treat it as an art and a lifestyle. “But there was a time” and there were people who realized that programming is more than merely a hobby or a job; it’s a life.
And what do we do? The best of us are either doing boring (but seemingly ground-breaking) stuff in boring research labs day and night, or writing ugly, bloated, “designed” and “architectured” code in badly-lit rooms day and night.
What are we? We used to be real Jedis and real Ninjas and now we are just commercialized Hollywood versions. What happened to us? “Where did we go yesterday?”
Oh man, I’ve been meaning to write something about this. I feel you man. Having been in both boring research labs and those badly-lit rooms, insanity hating the code I am writing, the very thing I am creating, putting my mind and soul into, … Indeed, that has to be lowest form of life ever seen on this planet.
There used to be a time when people could do what they loved… there used to be a time when people were free… there used to be a time when people studied because they wanted to know… there used to be a time when people were different from one another… not having freedom is not only enforced explicitly, all the peoples wrong thoughts and beliefs, actions, rules, cultures, money illusions, baked happiness packages and loss of identity is attacking us like never before… I’m afraid those programmers will face extinction along with all the other real “living” people.
Hi all,
I almost agree with you, however, has there ever been such an ideal time amiross? We are all human and humankind is far away from such an idealism. I’m not talking about a specific person like Ken Thompson but programmers in general.