# A programmer's view of the Universe, part 1: The fish

DevFeed: [A programmer's view of the Universe, part 1: The fish](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/a-programmer-s-view-of-the-universe-part-1-the-fish-38764.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://steve-yegge.blogspot.com/2008/10/programmers-view-of-universe-part-1.html>)

Author: Steve Yegge (noreply@blogger.com)

Published: 2008-10-29T04:52:00Z

Content type: opinion

Language: en

Sources: [Steve Yegge](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/steve-yegge.md>)

Topics: [Programming](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/programming.md>), [Complex Systems](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/complex-systems.md>)

Tags: [complex-systems](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/complex-systems.md>), [programming](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/programming.md>), [rants](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/rants.md>)

## AI overview

The article reflects on how programming shapes a person's perspective. It argues that programming develops disciplined thinking and confidence in solving complex logic problems, while experience also reveals the limits of human reasoning and the difficulty of managing complex systems.

## Source excerpt

I write a column for computer programmers called "Stevey's Blog Rants." It's basically a magazine column -- I publish to it about once a month. The average length of my articles is about 12 pages, although they can range anywhere from 4 to 40 pages, depending on how I'm feeling. But for precedent, don't think blogs: think of Reader's Digest. The blog format sets the wrong expectations. Hence, some people complain that my articles are too long. Others complain that I have not given my arguments sufficient exposition, and that my articles are in fact too short on detail to warrant any credibility. This is a lose-lose situation for me, but I keep at it nonetheless because I enjoy writing. Even if nobody were to read my blog, the act of writing things down helps me think more clearly, and it's engaging in the same way that solving a Sudoku puzzle is engaging. You should try it yourself. All it takes is a little practice. My blog topics vary widely, and sometimes I even venture outside the realm of programming. Programming is where I'm most comfortable, and it's also where people seem to ascribe to me some level of punditry: I'm not necessarily right, but even my greatest detractors grudgingly admit that I'm entitled to an opinion, by virtue of my having spent twenty years hacking day and night without any sign of wanting to give it up and turn into a pointy-haired manager. Even though I love both programming and to a lesser extent writing about it, there are also lots of non-programming topics I'd like to write about. Being a career programmer gives you an interesting perspective on issues not directly related to programming. You start to see parallels. So maybe I'll branch out some more and see how it goes. The programmer's view The first thing you notice as a programmer is that it trains you -- forces you, really -- to think in a disciplined way about complex logic problems. It also gives you a big booster shot of confidence around problem-solving in general. Junior prog