Or get it in HTML: http://www.mit.edu/~xela/tao.html
Much better! The OP’s version was not very mobile friendly.
The Tao of Programming (1987)
31–40 of 60 posts
Re: The Tao of Programming (1987)
#32Ha! I first came across this verse (7.2) early in my career, circa 2001 or so, and it always stuck with me. > 7.2 In the East there is a shark which is larger than all other fish. It changes into a bird whose wings are like clouds filling the sky. When this bird moves across the land, it brings a message from Corporate Headquarters. This message it drops into the midst of the programmers, like a seagull making its ma…
That feels like kind of a dangerous advice. Seems to me that means that if Google announces that they want to roll out a full cencorship in China so that they can enter the market over there, the most prominent developers will just silently continue to work on it..?
Like any general teaching, you are allowed to use your judgement to adapt to context, and choose exceptions.
There is not a single thing I know that is always true.
Those sentences are applicated to themself.
Re: The Tao of Programming (1987)
#33I am already loving it.
"1.2
The Tao gave birth to machine language. Machine language gave birth to the assembler.
The assembler gave birth to the compiler. Now their are ten thousand languages.
Each language has its purpose, however humble. Each language expresses the Yin and Yang of software. Each language has its place within the Tao.
But do not program in COBOL if you can avoid it. "
Re: The Tao of Programming (1987)
#34I prefer "The UNIX Koans of Master Foo" http://catb.org/esr/writings/unix-koans/
Those are actually pretty terrible, probably written after reading GEB. ESR is trying to emulate Hofstadter but isn't clever enough, so they are all based on a one-trick pony, search-and-replace joke that wears thin quickly.
2/10, would have preferred bobcat?
Re: The Tao of Programming (1987)
#35nice, I haven't seen this in years. I really laughed at the bit about 'structured programming.' As it turns out, long ago, structured programming was a thing.
I remember a story about a professor: one student of his turned in a program neatly divided in functions for each bit of functionality, and ‘main’ consisted only of function calls. The professor was aghast at this waste of resources and sent the student back to rework the program.
This was related much later by the professor himself, and he was fully aware of how prescient the student was.
Re: The Tao of Programming (1987)
#36I used to own the book but left it at my desk when I quit a job in the hope that it would help the next poor victim for the same position.
Reading the whole thing, I'm again surprised at how much wisdom is hidden in there.
Shouldn't that be:
"Time for you to return."
though?
Re: The Tao of Programming (1987)
#37nice, I haven't seen this in years. I really laughed at the bit about 'structured programming.' As it turns out, long ago, structured programming was a thing.
It still is a thing. Today we just call it "programming".
Re: The Tao of Programming (1987)
#38Earlier quoted context omitted.
> "Spelling as plot device" I'm curious, what do you mean ? could you point me somewhere to learn about it ? is it something like or related to a McGuffin ?
The typo "prefect" at the end is part of the plot, that nobody id perfect.
Their/there/they're confusion is also an expression of the Tao.
Re: The Tao of Programming (1987)
#39> Only a fool expects rational behavior from his fellow humans. Why do you expect it from a machine that humans have constructed? Computers simulate determinism; only Tao is prefect. Spelling as plot device, so underrated.
That reminds me of a tagline I saw on a movie poster for a Sci Fi movie a long time ago. Something along the lines of: "The computer is in complete control, mistakes are impossble."
Hmm, can't recall what the name of the movie actually was.
Re: The Tao of Programming (1987)
#40I prefer "The UNIX Koans of Master Foo" http://catb.org/esr/writings/unix-koans/
Those are actually pretty terrible, probably written after reading GEB. ESR is trying to emulate Hofstadter but isn't clever enough, so they are all based on a one-trick pony, search-and-replace joke that wears thin quickly. 2/10, would have preferred bobcat?
The housecat may mock the tiger, but it will not turn his purr into a roar.