Re:Do not oppose the way of the universe
by bobz44 on Monday December 29, 2008 @06:40PM
(#413663)
What a great parable for programmers.
At the core of all hacking, and in fact the root word hack itself, is the fine art of knowing when to hold firm to principle, and knowing when good enough is good enough.
'The word hack doesn't really have 69 different meanings', according to MIT hacker Phil Agre. 'In fact, hack has only one meaning, an extremely subtle and profound one which defies articulation...'
Hacking might be characterized as ‘an appropriate application of ingenuity’. Whether the result is a quick-and-dirty patchwork job or a carefully crafted work of art, you have to admire the cleverness that went into it.
At the core of all hacking, and in fact the root word hack itself, is the fine art of knowing when to hold firm to principle, and knowing when good enough is good enough.
From the Jargon File: http://catb.org/jargon/html/meaning-of-hack.html
'The word hack doesn't really have 69 different meanings', according to MIT hacker Phil Agre. 'In fact, hack has only one meaning, an extremely subtle and profound one which defies articulation...'
Hacking might be characterized as ‘an appropriate application of ingenuity’. Whether the result is a quick-and-dirty patchwork job or a carefully crafted work of art, you have to admire the cleverness that went into it.