Paul Graham, “Hackers and Painters”:
Posted by jjwiseman at May 06, 2003 09:04 AMIn fact, of all the different types of people I've known, hackers and painters are among the most alike.
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I think hackers just have to resign themselves to having a large random component in their reputations. In this they are no different from other makers. In fact, they're lucky by comparison. The influence of fashion is not nearly so great in hacking as it is in painting.
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When you meet someone now who is writing a compiler or hacking a Unix kernel, at least you know they're not just doing it to pick up chicks.
Clearly, he doesn't know the right chicks.
Michael
(who liked the comment about computer science being as cohesive a field as Yugoslavia is a country)
He needs to get out more. lots of chicks need their computer fixed. Personally, I like thunderstorms; because the lady on the hill will need a new modem.
Posted by: on May 6, 2003 04:35 PMAnd, um, what if the hacker _is_ a chick? She could still be doing it to pick up chicks...
Posted by: Troutgirl on May 6, 2003 11:12 PMUgh. I wish Paul would put up more about the status of Arc, rather then these long-winded, repetitious, and frequenly ridiculous essays.
Posted by: Andrew Hyatt on May 7, 2003 07:06 AM"When you meet someone now who is writing a compiler or hacking a Unix kernel, at least you know they're not just doing it to pick up chicks."
No, apparently they write "these long-winded, repetitious, and frequenly [sic] ridiculous essays" for that purpose. :)
Posted by: Area troll on May 7, 2003 11:56 AMAndrew, I might wish that a couple of his essays hadn't been published, but this one I liked.
Posted by: John Wiseman on May 13, 2003 11:36 PM