Paul Graham: Hackers and Painters

larsberg writes "Another wonderful article from Paul Graham on hackers, their lifestyle, and their tools. It's entitled "Hackers and Painters", and provides a great description of how the great hackers write code. The article is definitely worth a read, especially for those who have an inkling that any field that has to place the word "Science" in its name probably isn't really a science after all."

Comments

.SHITE

[maharg]

footnote 2 states:

I've been told that Microsoft discourages employees from contributing to open-source projects, even in their spare time. But so many of the best hackers work on open-source projects now that the main effect of this policy may be to ensure that they won't be able to hire any first-rate programmers.

but should surely read:

the main effect of this policy may be to ensure that they still won't be able to hire any first-rate programmers.

;o)

Re:.SHITE

[stratjakt]

Microsoft discourages employees from contributing to open-source projects

And McDonalds discourages employees from handing out free hamburgers to penniless bums and hippies. Shocking.

Troll aside, AFAIK Microsoft can't and doesnt prevent anyone from contributing to open source, but the employee who does better be ready to prove that he didn't contribute any of the companies code, else he'd be fired and probably sued.

It's common sense, and pretty much par for the course for any paid programmer.

To keep the analogy, McDonalds doesnt prevent you from giving food to the homeless, but it better be your own food and not theirs.