Smashing Magazine has an interview with Douglas Crockford that’s full of great points. My favorites are below.
I’m much more impressed with people that are always learning. The brilliant programmers I’ve been around are always learning.
You see so many people get into one language and spend their entire career in that language, and as a result aren’t that great as programmers.
To learn new languages takes nights and weekends outside of work, and that’s a commitment. The great programmers are the people that are constantly picking a project and diving into it, learning a language that way.
On programmer empathy:
The best experience I had with empathy was working in marketing support. There were times I would go out into the field and hold hands with the customers and see the consequences firsthand of some of the crap we were delivering to them.
I think every programmer should work in customer support for the product they’re delivering.
On JSON becoming popular:
You know, the adoption of JSON sort of restored my faith in humanity because it was a good idea that won out, only because it was a good idea.
There’s a lot more gold in there too. Worth a read.
