From: James Britt <james_b@...>
Date: 2006-06-04T08:21:03+09:00
Subject: Re: Where can one find examples of masterful Ruby code?

Alexandru Popescu wrote:
> On 6/3/06, James Britt <james_b@neurogami.com> wrote:
> 
>> It may be like music, where the more one knows and the more one has
>> heard, the harder it is to get excited about new music (though when you
>> do find something good, it can be *really* exciting).
>>
> 
> Never heard or thought this way. It would mean that the top musicians
> are really bored by the music they play in concerts. I guess that the
> more you know the more you are able to identify wonderful spot and
> enjoy them.

Well, for myself, the music I like to listen to, and the music I like to 
write, and the music I like to play, are different sets with only 
partial overlap.

For example, I like a lot of droning, repetitive, minimalist music, but 
hate playing it.  And I like playing, say, songs in the vein of the Sex 
Pistols, but have no interest in *writing* anything that sounds like that.

In my code/music metaphor I was thinking more of what I find interesting 
to listen to; less and less makes a big impression on me (though this 
could just be a sign that I'm turning into my parents).

I suspect that with various programming languages, as you internalize 
the idioms, you're less struck by how clever something is; you may 
think, "That's just how it's done."

There's less novelty for you to misinterpret as mastery.


-- 
James Britt

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