The Dao Of Programming

"When you have learned to snatch the error code from the trap frame, it

will be time for you to leave."

1.1

Something mysterious is formed, born in the silent void. Waiting alone

and unmoving, it is at once still and yet in constant motion. It is the

source of all programs. I do not know its name, so I will call it the Tao

of Programming.

If the Tao is great, then the operating system is great. If the operating

system is great, then the compiler is great. If the compiler is greater,

then the applications is great. The user is pleased and there is harmony

in the world.

The Tao of Programming flows far away and returns on the wind of morning.

1.2

The Tao gave birth to machine language. Machine language gave birth to

the assembler.

The assembler gave birth to the compiler. Now there are ten thousand

languages.

Each language has its purpose, however humble. Each language expresses

the Yin and Yang of software. Each language has its place within the Tao.

But do not program in COBOL if you can avoid it.

1.3

In the beginning was the Tao. The Tao gave birth to Space and Time.

Therefore, Space and Time are the Yin and Yang of programming.

Programmers that do not comprehend the Tao are always running out of time

and space for their programs. Programmers that comprehend the Tao always

have enough time and space to accomplish their goals.

How could it be otherwise?

1.4

The wise programmer is told about the Tao and follows it. The average

programmer is told about the Tao and searches for it. The foolish

programmer is told about the Tao and laughs at it.

If it were not for laughter, there would be no Tao.

The highest sounds are the hardest to hear.Going forward is a way to

retreat. Greater talent shows itself late in life. Even a perfect program

still has bugs.

Book Two - The Ancient Masters

Thus spake the master programmer:

"After three days without programming, life becomes meaningless."

The programmers of old were mysterious and profound. We cannot fathom

their thoughts, so all we do is describe their appearance.

Aware, like a fox crossing the water. Alert, like a general on the

battlefield. Kind, like a hostess greeting her guests. Simple, like

uncarved blocks of wood. Opaque, like black pools in darkened caves.

Who can tell the secrets of their hearts and minds?

The answer exists only in the Tao.

2.2

Grand Master Turing once dreamed that he was a machine. When he awoke he

exclaimed:

"I don't know whether I am Turing dreaming that I am a machine, or a machine

dreaming that I am Turing!"

2.3

A programmer from a very large computer company went to a software

conference and then returned to report to his manager, saying: "What sort

of programmers work for other companies? They behaved badly and were

unconcerned with appearances. Their hair was long and unkempt and their

clothes were wrinkled and old. They crashed out hospitality suites and

they made rude noises during my presentation."

The manager said: "I should have never sent you to the conference. Those

programmers live beyond the physical world. They consider life absurd,

an accidental coincidence. They come and go without knowing limitations.

Without a care, they live only for their programs. Why should they bother

with social conventions?"

"They are alive within the Tao."

2.4

A novice asked the Master: "Here is a programmer that never designs,

documents, or tests his programs. Yet all who know him consider him one

of the best programmers in the world.Why is this?"

The Master replies: "That programmer has mastered the Tao. He has gone

beyond the need for design; he does not become angry when the system

crashes, but accepts the universe without concern. He has gone beyond the

need for documentation; he no longer cares if anyone else sees his code.

He has gone beyond the need for testing; each of his programs are perfect

within themselves, serene and elegant, their purpose self-evident. Truly,

he has entered the mystery of the Tao."

Book Three - Design

Thus spake the master programmer:

"When program is being tested, it is too late to make design changes."

3.1

There once was a man who went to a computer trade show. Each day as he

entered, the man told the guard at the door:

"I am a great thief, renowned for my feats of shoplifting. Be forewarned,

for this trade show shall not escape unplundered."

This speech disturbed the guard greatly, because there were millions of

dollars of computer equipment inside, so he watched the man carefully.

But the man merely wandered from booth to booth, humming quietly to

himself.

When the man left, the guard took him aside and searched his clothes, but

nothing was to be found.

On the next day of the trade show, the man returned and chided the guard

saying: "I escaped with a vast booty yesterday, but today will be even

better." So the guard watched him ever more closely, but to no avail.

On the final day of the trade show, the guard could restrain his curiosity

no longer. "Sir Thief," he said, "I am so perplexed, I cannot live in peace.

Please enlighten me. What is it that you are stealing?"

The man smiled. "I am stealing ideas," he said.

3.2

There once was a master programmer who wrote unstructured programs. A

novice programmer, seeking to imitate him, also began to write

unstructured programs. When the novice asked the master to evaluate his

progress, the master criticized him for writing unstructured programs,

saying: "What is appropriate for the master is not appropriate for the

novice. You must understand the Tao before transcending structure."

3.3

There was once a programmer who was attached to the court of the warlord

of Wu. The warlord asked the programmer: "Which is easier to design: an

accounting package or an operating system?"

"An operating system," replied the programmer.

The warlord uttered an exclamation of disbelief. "Surely an accounting

package is trivial next to the complexity of an operating system," he said.

"Not so," said the programmer, "when designing an accounting package, the

programmer operates as a mediator between people having different ideas:

how it must operate, how its reports must appear, and how it must conform

to the tax laws. By contrast, an operating system is not limited my outside

appearances. When designing an operating system, the programmer seeks the

simplest harmony between machine and ideas. This is why an operating

system is easier to design."

The warlord of Wu nodded and smiled. "That is all good and well, but which

is easier to debug?"

The programmer made no reply.

3.4

A manager went to the master programmer and showed him the requirements

document for a new application. The manager asked the master: "How long

will it take to design this system if I assign five programmers to it?"

"It will take one year," said the master promptly.

"But we need this system immediately or even sooner! How long will it take

it I assign ten programmers to it?"

The master programmer frowned. "In that case, it will take two years."

"And what if I assign a hundred programmers to it?"

The master programmer shrugged. "Then the design will never be completed,"

he said.

Book Four - Coding

Thus spake the master programmer:

"A well-written program is its own heaven;

a poorly-written program is its own hell."

4.1

A program should be light and agile, its subroutines connected like a

strings of pearls. The spirit and intent of the program should be retained

throughout. There should be neither too little nor too much, neither

needless loops nor useless variables, neither lack of structure nor

overwhelming rigidity.

A program should follow theLaw of Least Astonishment. What is this law?

It is simply that the program should always respond to the user in the

way that astonishes him least.

A program, no matter how complex, should act as a single unit. The program

should be directed by the logic within rather than by outward appearances.

If the program fails in these requirements, it will be in a state of

disorder and confusion. The only way to correct this is to rewrite the

program.

4.2

A novice asked the master: "I have a program that sometimes runs and

sometimes aborts. I have followed the rules of programming, yet I am

totally baffled. What is the reason for this?"

The master replied: "You are confused because you do not understand the

Tao. Only a fool expects rational behavior. from his fellow humans. Why

do you expect it from a machine that humans have constructed? Computers

simulate determinism; only the Tao is perfect.

The rules of programming are transitory; only the Tao is eternal.

Therefore you must contemplate the Tao before you receive enlightenment."

"But how will I know when I have received enlightenment?" asked the novice.

"Your program will then run correctly," replied the master.

4.3

A master was explaining the nature of the Tao to one of his novices, "The

Tao is embodied in all software -- regardless of how insignificant," said

the master.

"Is the Tao in a hand-held calculator?" asked the novice.

"It is," came the reply.

"Is the Tao in a video game?" continued the novice.

"It is even in a video game," said the master.

"And is the Tao in the DOS for a personal computer?"

The master coughed and shifted his position slightly. "The lesson is over

for today," he said.

4.4

Price Wang's programmer was coding software. His fingers danced upon the

keyboard. The program compiled without an error message, and the program

ran like a gentle wind.

Excellent!" the Price exclaimed, "Your technique is faultless!"

"Technique?" said the programmer, turning from his terminal, "What I

follow is the Tao -- beyond all technique. When I first began to program

I would see before me the whole program in one mass. After three years

I no longer saw this mass. Instead, I used subroutines. But now I see

nothing. My whole being exists in a formless void. My senses are idle.

My spirit, free to work without a plan, follows its own instinct. In short,

my program writes itself. True, sometimes there are difficult problems.

I see them coming, I slow down, I watch silently. Then I change a single

line of code and the difficulties vanish like puffs of idle smoke. I then

compile the program. I sit still and let the joy of the work fill my being.

I close my eyes for a moment and then log off."

Price Wang said, "Would that all of my programmers were as wise!"

Book Five - Mainteance

Thus spake the master programmer:

"Though a program be but three lines long, someday it will have to be

maintained."

5.1

A well-used door needs no oil on its hinges.

A swift-flowing steam does no grow stagnant.

Neither sound nor thoughts can travel through a vacuum.

Software rots if not used.

These are great mysteries.

5.2

A manager asked a programmer how long it would take him to finish the

program on which he was working. "I will be finished tomorrow," the

programmer promptly replied.

"I think you are being unrealistic," said the manager. "Truthfully, how

long will it take?"

The programmer thought for a moment. "I have some features that I wish

to add. This will take at least two weeks," he finally said.

"Even that is too much to expect," insisted the manager, "I will be

satisfied if you simply tell me when the program is complete."

了。”

The programmer agreed to this.

Several years slated, the manager retired. On the way to his retirement

lunch, he discovered the programmer asleep at his terminal. He had been

programming all night.

5.3

A novice programmer was once assigned to code a simple financial package.

The novice worked furiously for many days, but when his master reviewed

his program, he discovered that it contained a screen editor, a set of

generalized graphics routines, and artificial intelligence interface,

but not the slightest mention of anything financial.

When the master asked about this, the novice became indignant. "Don't be

so impatient," he said, "I'll put the financial stuff in eventually."

5.4

Does a good farmer neglect a crop he has planted?

Does a good teacher overlook even the most humble student?

Does a good father allow a single child to starve?

Does a good programmer refuse to maintain his code?

Book Six - Management

Thus spake the master programmer:

"Let the programmer be many and the managers few -- then all will be

productive."

6.1

When managers hold endless meetings, the programmers write games. When

accountants talk of quarterly profits, the development budget is about

to be cut. When senior scientists talk blue sky, the clouds are about to

roll in.

Truly, this is not the Tao of Programming.

When managers make commitments, game programs are ignored. When

accountants make long-range plans, harmony and order are about to be

restored. When senior scientists address the problems at hand, the

problems will soon be solved.

Truly, this is the Tao of Programming.

6.2

Why are programmers non-productive? Because their time is wasted in

meetings.

Why are programmers rebellious? Because the management interferes too

much.

Why are the programmers resigning one by one? Because they are burnt out.

Having worked for poor management, they no longer value their jobs.

6.3

A manager was about to be fired, but a programmer who worked for him

invented a new program that became popular and sold well. As a result,

the manager retained his job.

The manager tried to give the programmer a bonus, but the programmer

refused it, saying, "I wrote the program because I though it was an

interesting concept, and thus I expect no reward."

The manager, upon hearing this, remarked, "This programmer, though he

holds a position of small esteem, understands well the proper duty of an

employee. Lets promote him to the exalted position of management

consultant!"

But when told this, the programmer once more refused, saying, "I exist

so that I can program. If I were promoted, I would do nothing but waste

everyone's time. Can I go now? I have a program that I'm working one."

6.4

A manger went to his programmers and told them: "As regards to your work

hours: you are going to have to come in at nine in the morning and leave

at five in the afternoon." At this, all of them became angry and several

resigned on the spot.

So the manager said: "All right, in that case you may set your own working

hours, as long as you finish your projects on schedule." The programmers,

now satisfied, began to come in a noon and work to the wee hours of the

morning.

Book Seven - Corporate Wisdom

Thus spake the master programmer:

"You can demonstrate a program for a corporate executive, but you can't

make him computer literate."

7.1

A novice asked the master: "In the east there is a great tree-structure

that men call 'Corporate Headquarters'. It is bloated out of shape with

vice-presidents and accountants. It issues a multitude of memos, each

saying 'Go, Hence!' or 'Go, Hither!' and nobody knows what is meant. Every

year new names are put onto the branches, but all to no avail. How can

such an unnatural entity exist?"

The master replies: "You perceive this immense structure and are disturbed

that it has no rational purpose. Can you not take amusement from its

endless gyrations? Do you not enjoy the untroubled ease of programming

beneath its sheltering branches? Why are you bothered by its uselessness?"

7.2

In the east there is a shark which is larger than all other fish. It changes

into a bird whose winds are like clouds filling the sky. When this bird

moves across the land, it brings a message from Corporate Headquarters.

This message it drops into the midst of the program- mers, like a seagull

making its mark upon the beach. Then the bird mounts on the wind and, with

the blue sky at its back, returns home.

The novice programmer stares in wonder at the bird, for he understands

it not. The average programmer dreads the coming of the bird, for he fears

its message. The master programmer continues to work at his terminal, for

he does not know that the bird has come and gone.

7.3

The Magician of the Ivory Tower brought his latest invention for the master