Thoughts on being a programmer

• Don't be an asshole.
• Simple code is hard to write.
• Exquisitely simple code is exquisitely hard to write.
• Just because it's easy to understand doesn't mean it was easy to write.
• In fact, the easier it is to understand, the harder it probably was to write.
• There are many ways to do something.
• The first way you think of is highly unlikely to be the best way.
• Anyway, there probably is no best way - just lots of ways that are differently good.
• There's always plenty of room for improvement - in your code, in your abilities, in you.
• If you think you're as good as you're ever going to be - you're probably right.
• "One-line changes" aren't.
• Learn to desire success more than you fear failure.
• You're only old when you can no longer learn new tricks.
• Always back up before tidying up.
• RTFM.
• Err vicariously.
• Sometimes it's OK to be a bit of an asshole. But don't make a habit of it.