I was walking on the beach with my wife this past weekend. While gazing at Monterey Bay, watching the birds, dolphins, a whale, the people, and enjoying the conversation, I also had some time to think about the "uniqueness of programming", and what we do, as developers, in general, and here at CodeGear.
The Uniqueness of Programming
Software development can be done anywhere, anytime, and in a many different ways. Software development success does not take a huge team. The barriers to entry into the software business are low. You don’t need a large capital outlay (factories, plants, etc). All you need is your brain, and idea, your hands, a computer, a kitchen (or garage), a Starbucks, and a lot of beverages (caffeine preferred).
Who We Are
We are Computer Scientists, Professionals, Software Engineers, Programmers, and Members of the Technical Staff. We are Craftsman, Rock Stars, Super Heroes, Barbarians, Magicians, and Wizards. We are Hackers, Coders, and Nerds.
Some of the Motivations of Developers
We love Family, Community, Money, Jobs, and Career. Whatever we do in our job, it must be Fun, Cool, and feed our Ego. We “think different” when compared to most other working employees, especially in the computer field.
We would enjoy being a part of developer immortality and lore: to join the fraternity of Computer Science greats, Computer Industry greats, and the Programmer Elite. Each of us would really enjoy creating a new, popular programming language or framework.
We thrive on the continuous challenges of software development. We are involved in a life long learning process in our careers. We are exclusive members of the developer fraternity and community. We enjoy tough problems and puzzles. Along the way, we enjoy passing along the secrets of our craft to new members of team and community (“learning the ropes“).
Uniqueness of What We Do at CodeGear
We are developers who build developer tools (that we use ourselves) for developers and teams of developers (some of who build tools for developers). We simplify complex technology and software challenges.
We provide expressive tools that allow developers to build a broad spectrum of software applications and systems. Our products allow you to, easily, take a software idea from inspiration to application, from prototype to production.
We create and leverage languages, platforms, technologies, open source, etc to bring their use, by programmers, to the mainstream. We drive innovation in programming paradigms, programming languages, and developer tooling.
Aspirational Goal
One aspirational goal, I have, is to be a part of creating a better world through software.
Christopher Alexander, in his OOPSLA 1996 keynote, said it best, “It could be viewed, that the technical way in which you look at programming, at the moment, is almost like guns for hire. In other words, you’re the technicians, you know how to make the programs work. Tell us what to do daddy, and we’ll do it.”
He went on to say, “What I am proposing here, is something a little bit different from that. Which is a view of programming, as the natural genetic infrastructure of a living world, which you are capable of creating, managing, making available, and which could then have the result that a living structure, in our towns, houses, workplaces, cities, is an attainable thing which it has not been for the last 50-100 years. That is an incredible vision of the future. I realize that you probably think I am nuts.”
Finally he said, “You may say, gosh, great idea but we’re not interested. But I do think you are capable of that. And, I don’t think anybody else is going to do this job.”
{ 3 } Comments
David,
This is the best post I’ve seen in years! Super, SUPER SUPER SUPER!!!) Personal Thanks!
PS
Now, on a different wave length, why don’t offer a free kit, containing dccil.exe and (maybe, why not) the Borland.VCL.* assemblies? This could be offered as a free download and could install on top (and even in the very same directory with .NET framework). I’m just talking about seamless integration, that’s all. Except that your offer will also contain dcc32.exe (and VCL). This way you could show everyone how unique is your stuff!
Personally, I see no harm in doing so, mostly because the best marketing way to get people to know and see the obvious advantages is to offer them a live opportunity to do so! And, most developers will want more, so they will actually buy the real thing (the whole IDE!)
You know, it’s just an idea… Time will tell (as in "the history of the future"
d
Beyond genetic algorithms, there is an old saying, which goes like "The World __is God’s Virtual Reality…" Think about it… By the end of the day, We Are What We Think We Are!
_d
A bit late to the party but such writing as this is timeless and I just had to say that. Inspiring.
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