[Chapter 37] 37.3 Three Great Virtues of a Programmer
Author: Jerry Peek, Tim O'Reilly & Mike Loukides
Date: 1998-08-04T21:48:52Z

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| Chapter 37 Perl, a Pathologically Eclectic Rubbish Lister |

## 37.3 Three Great Virtues of a Programmer

Laziness

  The quality that makes you go to great effort to reduce overall energy expenditure. It makes you write labor-saving programs that other people will find useful, and document what you wrote so you don't have to answer so many questions about it. Hence, the first great virtue of a programmer. Also hence, this book.

Impatience

  The anger you feel when the computer is being lazy. This makes you write programs that don't just react to your needs, but actually anticipate them. Or at least that pretend to. Hence, the second great virtue of a programmer.

Hubris

  Excessive pride, the sort of thing Zeus zaps you for. Also the quality that makes you write (and maintain) programs that other people won't want to say bad things about. Hence, the third great virtue of a programmer.

- LW, RS

37.2 Why Learn Perl? #1 |  | 37.4 Why Learn Perl? #2