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“ Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to produce bigger and

by parsimo2010 7y ago

“ Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning.” -Rick Cook I’m sure that this sentiment isn’t exclusive to programmers, but applies to anyone who has to consider how the general population will handle their product.

mikestew 7y ago
The arrogance and tone-deafness of such statements astounds me when they come supposed professionals. Those “idiots” you so frequently run into? Yeah, polite people call them “your customers”, or “your boss”, or “people who will complain to your boss”. Or just “people who look at the world differently than you do”. If you consider the “general population” to be idiots, you: a. Don’t know how intelligence measurement works. (Hint: they cant all be idiots. Maybe it’s you.) b. Are still an amateur who will hopefully someday mature into a professional who works with the circumstances at hand rather than complaining that conditions aren’t right for the world to appreciate your genius.
- diggan 7y ago
  The saying is generally not used to look down at people but more try to understand that whatever is very clear to you, might not be clear to others and you should do your best to make yourself understandable to as many people as possible. I don't think it was meant to "the user is using it wrong!" but instead make you (as the creator of something) think that the user will for sure try to use it in ways you didn't intend it to.
- nefitty 7y ago
  I was on board with your comment until the mean-spirited "maybe you're the idiot or unprofessional". I don't like how people are calling some people idiots and stupid over dumb mistakes. It definitely gives a bad vibe about developer culture that is only detrimental. Developers and tech professionals exist to serve users... Without them we would be shit out of luck. I don't think turning that mean-spiritedness back on them helps either, though. Tone-deafness all around here.
PhasmaFelis 7y ago
Just remember that you, me, and all the rest of the smart people are undoubtedly the subject of someone else's "You won't believe this idiot I had at work today" story.

mikestew 7y ago

The arrogance and tone-deafness of such statements astounds me when they come supposed professionals. Those “idiots” you so frequently run into? Yeah, polite people call them “your customers”, or “your boss”, or “people who will complain to your boss”. Or just “people who look at the world differently than you do”. If you consider the “general population” to be idiots, you: a. Don’t know how intelligence measurement works. (Hint: they cant all be idiots. Maybe it’s you.) b. Are still an amateur who will hopefully someday mature into a professional who works with the circumstances at hand rather than complaining that conditions aren’t right for the world to appreciate your genius.

diggan 7y ago
The saying is generally not used to look down at people but more try to understand that whatever is very clear to you, might not be clear to others and you should do your best to make yourself understandable to as many people as possible. I don't think it was meant to "the user is using it wrong!" but instead make you (as the creator of something) think that the user will for sure try to use it in ways you didn't intend it to.
nefitty 7y ago
I was on board with your comment until the mean-spirited "maybe you're the idiot or unprofessional". I don't like how people are calling some people idiots and stupid over dumb mistakes. It definitely gives a bad vibe about developer culture that is only detrimental. Developers and tech professionals exist to serve users... Without them we would be shit out of luck. I don't think turning that mean-spiritedness back on them helps either, though. Tone-deafness all around here.

PhasmaFelis 7y ago

Just remember that you, me, and all the rest of the smart people are undoubtedly the subject of someone else's "You won't believe this idiot I had at work today" story.