A master programmer passed a novice programmer one day. The master
noted the novice's preoccupation with a hand-held computer game. "Excuse me",
he said, "may I examine it?"
The novice bolted to attention and handed the device to the master.
"I see that the device claims to have three levels of play: Easy, Medium,
and Hard", said the master. "Yet every such device has another level of play,
where the device seeks not to conquer the human, nor to be conquered by the
human."
"Pray, great master," implored the novice, "how does one find this
mysterious setting?"
The master dropped the device to the ground and crushed it under foot.
And suddenly the novice was enlightened.
-- Geoffrey James, "The Tao of Programming"
noted the novice's preoccupation with a hand-held computer game. "Excuse me",
he said, "may I examine it?"
The novice bolted to attention and handed the device to the master.
"I see that the device claims to have three levels of play: Easy, Medium,
and Hard", said the master. "Yet every such device has another level of play,
where the device seeks not to conquer the human, nor to be conquered by the
human."
"Pray, great master," implored the novice, "how does one find this
mysterious setting?"
The master dropped the device to the ground and crushed it under foot.
And suddenly the novice was enlightened.
-- Geoffrey James, "The Tao of Programming"
Related:
- A novice went into the master's cubicle and saw a new computer sitting upon
the master's desk.
"What is that computer?" asked the novice. The master placed his hand upon a small box that was connected to the computer by a wire.... - A master was explaining the nature of Tao to one of his novices.
"The Tao is embodied in all software -- regardless of how insignificant," said the master.... - A master was explaining the nature of the Tao to one of his novices,
"The Tao is embodied in all software -- regardless of how insignificant,"
said the master.
"Is the Tao in a hand-held calculator?" asked the novice.... - Curse these personal computers!" cried the novice in anger, "To make them do
anything I must use three or even four editing programs.
This is truly intolerable!" The master programmer stared at the novice.... - A master was explaining the nature of Tao to one of his
novices.
The Tao is embodied in all software -- regardless of how insignificant," said the master.... - A master was explaining the nature of Tao to one of his novices.
The Tao is embodied in all software -- regardless of how insignificant," said the master.... - The Magician of the Ivory Tower brought his latest invention for the
master programmer to examine.
The magician wheeled a large black box into the master's office while the master waited in silence.... - A novice programmer was once assigned to code a simple financial
package.
The novice worked furiously for many days, but when his master reviewed his program, he discovered that it contained a screen editor, a set of generalized graphics routines, and artificial intelligence interface, but not the slightest mention of anything financial....
