

All Programmers May Be Self Taught But The Best Are Also "Martial Artists" - tvorryn
http://www.lambdassociates.org/blog/hackers.htm#!99

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iopuy
I have not read Geoff Thompson book but from what was present in the
article...

He is obviously not referring to professional mixed martial artists (UFC,
Strikeforce, Pride, etc) when using the term "school-trained martial artist."
I assume he means someone who visits a gym on a casual basis, but holds down a
regular full time job. To try to even qualify such an argument without getting
into any kind of specifics (weights of parties involved, one-on-one fight,
legal ramifications) is ridiculous. If he is referring to professional mma
artists he is off his rocker. These guys would annihilate "street fighters"
and do so on a regular basis. These is a NSFW story about a mediocre pro
fighter named "War Machine" (yes I know) and a street fight where he laid out
something like 9 guys.

I would give the the book the time of day but I will never give money to
anyone who is a self proclaimed "victor in over 200 street fights" because I
myself have won over 400.

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kstenerud
He is talking about someone who has taken traditional martial arts (Karate,
Kempo, Tae Kwan Do, etc).

I started out taking those, and even got a black belt, but in the end I knew
nothing other than how to do some kata and dance around a ring with my
opponent trading "blows". The only thing of value I learned there was balance,
and even that training was mediocre.

So his analogy of "school trained martial artist" is very apt. I know a whole
bunch of guys like this who would get their ass handed to them in a real fight
with anyone of even minor real-world fighting experience.

On the other hand, a school trained street fighter would have an advantage
over an untrained street fighter, all other things being equal.

Of course anyone trained for professional fighting (UFC et al) receives
training with substance (techniques that are useful in the real world, and
LOTS of actual combat). I'm not sure if there's a CS equivalent to this.

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iopuy
"I'm not sure if there's a CS equivalent to this."

Agreed.

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balsam
Tech focussed startups fighting for the prize of consumer attention.

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makecheck
Actual title: "Hackers and Fighters".

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georgemcbay
I realize this article is from 2007, but here in 2011 how about programmers
just being programmers?

I'm so sick of how programmers are supposedly "rock stars", "ninjas", "martial
artists" or whatever the fuck else.

You don't see astrophysicists comparing themselves (in large numbers) to
ninjas. Because they are Goddamn Astrophysicists, and that's cool enough
already.

As a profession let's grow the fuck up and just own being programmers.

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jchonphoenix
I understand your sentiment, but if you read the article, you'd notice that he
was using the martial artist as an analogy, rather than an equivalent.

His article is well reasoned and actually full of content. I suggest you read
it because it is actually well worth the read.

