The Evolution of a Programmer

CobraBoy (tbyars@earthlink.net)
Tue, 20 Aug 1996 11:32:43 -0700


The Evolution of a Programmer
-----------------------------

High School/Jr.High
===================
10 PRINT "HELLO WORLD"
20 END

First year in College
=====================
program Hello(input, output)
begin
writeln('Hello World')
end.

Senior year in College
======================
(defun hello
(print
(cons 'Hello (list 'World))))

New professional
================
#include <stdio.h>
void main(void)
{
char *message[] = {"Hello", "World"};
int i;

for(i = 0; i < 2; ++i)
printf("%s ", message[i]);
printf("\n");
}

Experienced Hacker
===================
#include <stdio.h>
#define S "Hello, World\n"
main(){exit(printf(S) == strlen(S) ? 0 : 1);}

Seasoned Hacker
===================
% cc -o a.out ~/src/misc/hw/hw.c
% a.out

Guru Hacker
===================
% cat
Hello, world.
^D

New Manager
===================
10 PRINT "HELLO WORLD"
20 END

Middle Manager
===================
mail -s "Hello, world." bob@b12
Bob, could you please write me a program that prints "Hello, world."?
I need it by tomorrow.
^D

Senior Manager
===================
% zmail jim
I need a "Hello, world." program by this afternoon.

Chief Executive
===================
% letter
letter: Command not found.
% mail

To: ^X ^F ^C
% help mail
help: Command not found.
% damn it!
!: Event unrecognized
% logout

--

-= -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Inertia makes morons of a lot of people. -=-=-=-=-=-=-= -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- tbyars@earthlink.net