17 Thoughts on Programming

1. Your constants are your client’s variables.
2. All software is layered like cake because no one can commit. Those that can commit, fail.
3. Program's don't learn. Programmers just learn new tools.
4. Eventually, your program becomes someone else’s function.
5. Be one with the machine, and you will be annoyed by your code.
6. The code you are working now that is special fits within someone else's general framework. In a month, you will have wished you knew about that framework.
7. If you don't have any loops, then you haven't done anything except play with Legos. Why is it bad to play with legos?
8. If you could communicate complexity, then it wouldn't be complex.
9. Velocity induces complexity (either technical or managerial).
10. Your software will be abused my criminal minds.
11. One half of a business always builds top down, the other builds bottom up; the people doing it top down will get the credit.
12. If your crappy code makes it a need to hire ten people, then at least feel good about the economy. Also, be the owner of the vending machine.
13. It is fun to optimize, but it is hard to evolve; if you evolve, then you grow and find new things to optimize.
14. Every language emits beauty, and every language emits horror. Choose wisely and cluster people appropriately.
15. Sometimes, you will solve a real problem; most times, you will solve a problem at someone else's expense.
16. Software as a Service is an infinite recursive chain of passing the buck. If you accept the buck, then you can keep it.
17. The person that follows your steps probably has different designs, enable them to rebuild and learn from your work than force them into the same idioms. After all, they have to maintain it.