Path: csiph.com!usenet.pasdenom.info!aioe.org!news.stack.nl!newsfeed.xs4all.nl!newsfeed2.news.xs4all.nl!xs4all!newsgate.cistron.nl!newsgate.news.xs4all.nl!post.news.xs4all.nl!not-for-mail Return-Path: X-Original-To: python-list@python.org Delivered-To: python-list@mail.python.org X-Spam-Status: UNSURE 0.229 X-Spam-Level: ** X-Spam-Evidence: '*H*': 0.66; '*S*': 0.12; 'programmer': 0.03; 'cc:addr:python-list': 0.11; '(before': 0.16; 'article.': 0.16; 'from:addr:pobox.com': 0.16; 'from:addr:skip': 0.16; 'subject:programmer': 0.16; 'sender:addr:gmail.com': 0.17; 'saying': 0.22; 'cc:addr:python.org': 0.22; 'cc:2**1': 0.23; 'skip': 0.24; 'header:In-Reply-To:1': 0.27; 'errors': 0.30; 'programming.': 0.30; 'message-id:@mail.gmail.com': 0.30; 'code': 0.31; 'supposed': 0.32; 'but': 0.35; 'received:google.com': 0.35; 'really': 0.36; 'possible': 0.36; 'little': 0.38; 'catch': 0.60; 'great': 0.65; 'to:addr:gmail.com': 0.65; 'between': 0.67; 'intelligent': 0.74; 'protect': 0.79; 'hand.': 0.84; 'loose': 0.84; 'pardon': 0.84; 'terrible': 0.84; 'discipline': 0.91; 'task,': 0.91; 'colleagues': 0.97 DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20120113; h=mime-version:sender:in-reply-to:references:date:message-id:subject :from:to:cc:content-type; bh=J5PU2sTZaSAKMreaeYPMLRVfYzK943+YY3YtTCj+SSk=; b=xnqssRZY/bPyEQcjtBBsgwfmOdG0CfexZy8gA/yrB6lHTb5mNCKU2Y/jRZJ3K75h4U L3DmCVDbHxASl4k7qba6uE4hnIAyf7rQLie/J6DkvNURDlLqUaOTDsyi3szlmRwVaqB1 Tjuw+2AJk/ls6dtzP7XAZmkCNVwo6Hz7+N5Xsok42Yf0DSdIZ7p/3Tl1sqsjZ+DbvIrL mhVICvRknMJilYT/i0jIw1y+ukxhMYwhtW+O8/7+ShjLPijdoY1gXSkgNiici3zLaG9f byazH5XOgXMCno7xiB+ngYIxM0Q/qhCGyGWWZt5jUrgVRX7bzmT/WI6YWpAbgRrrIHtG TzoQ== MIME-Version: 1.0 X-Received: by 10.220.181.136 with SMTP id by8mr3459648vcb.11.1378489708898; Fri, 06 Sep 2013 10:48:28 -0700 (PDT) Sender: skip.montanaro@gmail.com In-Reply-To: References: <522a0927$0$29988$c3e8da3$5496439d@news.astraweb.com> Date: Fri, 6 Sep 2013 12:48:28 -0500 X-Google-Sender-Auth: efUJ3In65DD_BLV2J-TUAYgw1Zo Subject: Re: Confessions of a terrible programmer From: Skip Montanaro To: Joel Goldstick Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 X-Mailman-Approved-At: Fri, 06 Sep 2013 20:57:10 +0200 Cc: "python-list@python.org" , Steven D'Aprano X-BeenThere: python-list@python.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.15 Precedence: list List-Id: General discussion list for the Python programming language List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Newsgroups: comp.lang.python Message-ID: Lines: 13 NNTP-Posting-Host: 2001:888:2000:d::a6 X-Trace: 1378493831 news.xs4all.nl 15977 [2001:888:2000:d::a6]:50050 X-Complaints-To: abuse@xs4all.nl Xref: csiph.com comp.lang.python:53806 > Pardon me, but I completely don't get this article. Let me in on what > is supposed to be the joke please! I don't really think there's a joke. I think the author is saying in a somewhat sly way is that often, the difference between a terrible programmer and a great programmer is the discipline applied to the task, and intelligent use of the tools at hand. Catch as many errors as you can as early as possible (before other people see your original stabs at a solution) and when your code is set loose in the wild you will seem like a great programmer. Little do your colleagues know that your tools protect them from your terrible programming. Skip