Re: What is a programmer (was WDSC and Linux)

Mike - You're right - this thread is no longer about Code400.

Larry Paque
Code400-L moderator


Wills, Mike N. (TC) wrote:

>I like this comment. Shouldn't this be on CPF000 or Non-Tech? 
>
>Anyways, I don't care how the eval statement knows that it is supposed to
>add, subtract, multiply, divide, concatenate, or whatever else it does. All
>I care is that it gives the output the documentation says it will. 
>
>So what then is the definition of a programmer? One who writes code from
>scratch? In my opinion, that is stupid. If the code is written, and it
>works, why write your own code every time?
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Michael Naughton [mailto:mnaughton-ASFSQzaE8w1Wk0Htik3J/[email protected]]
>Sent: Thursday, July 24, 2003 2:44 PM
>To: CODE/400 Discussion & Support
>Subject: Re: RE: WDSC and Linux
>
>
>CODE/400 Discussion & Support <code400-l-Zwy7GipZuJhWk0Htik3J/[email protected]> writes:
>  
>
>>Every single programmer should have at least one year in which
>>they write in some sort of machine language and develop a small, working
>>operating system from scratch.  And fit it into 8K.
>>    
>>
>
>I'm not going to argue with you, Joe, but I suspect that by this
>definition very few of us are "programmers". You set a high bar.
>
>Using your definition, I bet most of us are "application assemblers".  But
> I'm not sure there's anything wrong with that. For one thing, I think
>even programming in machine language can be considered "assemblers" --
>they're just assembling a lot more pieces that are all a lot smaller. For
>another, I think practical reality drives most of us to understand the
>tools and components we use in our assemblies at differing levels: some we
>understand thoroughly, and some we we know just enough about to understand
> how to use them effectively.
>
>In fact, isn't that the point of encapsulation? You don't have to have a
>clue as to what that darn object is doing on the inside -- all you have to
>know is what messages you need to send it and what messages to expect
>back. Now, that's not going to stop some of us from cracking apart those
>objects to see what makes them tick, but it is really required that we do
>so before we use them?
>
>Mike Naughton
>Senior Programmer/Analyst
>Judd Wire, Inc.
>124 Turnpike Road
>Turners Falls, MA  01376
>413-863-4357 x444
>mnaughton-ASFSQzaE8w1Wk0Htik3J/[email protected]
>
>  
>

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