I didn't have the patience to read it, so I asked perplexity.ai for a summary. Here it is:
The article humorously contrasts "Real Programmers" with "Quiche Eaters" (less serious programmers). It describes the characteristics and habits of Real Programmers, often in an exaggerated and satirical manner. Key points include:
1. Real Programmers prefer Fortran and assembly language over newer languages like Pascal.
2. They are skeptical of structured programming and fancy data structures, preferring arrays for everything.
3. Real Programmers use complex operating systems like OS/370, not user-friendly ones like CP/M or Unix.
4. They prefer challenging text editors like TECO over user-friendly ones.
5. Real Programmers work on important, high-stakes projects like space exploration or defense systems.
6. They can work extremely long hours and thrive under pressure.
7. The article expresses concern about newer generations of programmers being "soft" due to user-friendly tools and languages.
8. It concludes optimistically that the spirit of Real Programming will continue despite changes in the field.
The article is clearly meant to be humorous and satirical, poking fun at programming culture and stereotypes from a particular era in computing history.
The article humorously contrasts "Real Programmers" with "Quiche Eaters" (less serious programmers). It describes the characteristics and habits of Real Programmers, often in an exaggerated and satirical manner. Key points include:
1. Real Programmers prefer Fortran and assembly language over newer languages like Pascal.
2. They are skeptical of structured programming and fancy data structures, preferring arrays for everything.
3. Real Programmers use complex operating systems like OS/370, not user-friendly ones like CP/M or Unix.
4. They prefer challenging text editors like TECO over user-friendly ones.
5. Real Programmers work on important, high-stakes projects like space exploration or defense systems.
6. They can work extremely long hours and thrive under pressure.
7. The article expresses concern about newer generations of programmers being "soft" due to user-friendly tools and languages.
8. It concludes optimistically that the spirit of Real Programming will continue despite changes in the field.
The article is clearly meant to be humorous and satirical, poking fun at programming culture and stereotypes from a particular era in computing history.