[plt-scheme] art and code

From: Geoffrey S. Knauth (geoff at knauth.org)
Date: Sat Dec 5 07:58:45 EST 2009

I was just listening to Joel Spolsky on the StackOverflow podcast [1], at 52:45-53:30, and I was struck by something he said about art and code, which reminded me of PLT and the thoughtfulness of HtDP.

Jeff [Atwood]:  "There's not a whole lot of art in what I do.  I'll just put that out there."

Joel:  "Well that's because probably you've never done art."

Jeff:  "I love art, though, I have all these art books.  I used to draw a lot.  But I don't consider myself an artist."

Joel:  "You don't think programming is like drawing?"

Jeff:  "Not really at all, not even a little.  Of course metaphors are tough."

Joel:  "Part of it is it takes patience, right, like if you just sit down, the first thing you have to learn to be good at art is how to slow down enough to do a good job."

[1] http://itc.conversationsnetwork.org/shows/detail4321.html



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