The Programmer's Most Dangerous Moment
I read an article today on someone’s blog about the most dangerous moment for a programmer:
“It’s not when you know nothing, but when you know a bit. At first you know nothing, so you read books every day, code through the night. Then you learn C, algorithms, data structures, OS. You use VC with MFC, feeling good. You build database projects with Delphi. You know a bit about COM — talk a good game though never used it. You know C++, inheritance, virtual functions, const, references, templates. You’ve heard of design patterns, used Singleton. Sometimes OS fascinates you, you write multi-threaded control systems. But now you feel you know nothing. You see others’ large VC systems and wonder how to reach that level. You have so much to learn but don’t know how. You’re losing passion. You’ve reached the most dangerous moment.”
I broke into a cold sweat — every word described me. As someone who switched into IT late, I did go through the “know nothing, read books every day, code through the night” phase. I remember the joy of writing Tetris in VB6 as an accounting student. Self-taught C in all-night classrooms, writing C programs on paper, then running back to dorms to type them in.
Later at the Software Institute, guided by Professor Ma Yunlong, I learned C properly. The intense一年的 (year-long) study covered algorithms, data structures, OS. Windows Programming class — I got an A with “VC + MSDN + MFC.” Still can’t code without MSDN. Delphi? Still at the “drag button onto form” stage.
COM? I’ve read almost everything: “Essential COM,” “Inside COM,” “COM Principles and Applications,” “COM Master Mind.” Talk a good game. Actually used it? Just wrote a few samples while supporting Microsoft products.
Thanks to Professor Zhou, I know C++ decently. Design patterns? Guilty — only used Singleton in real projects.
This summer, fascinated by OS, I planned to write a mini-OS. Stillborn.
And now, I often think about “being able to get by” after grad school…
Suddenly I understood something. A few days ago, Professor Wan asked over dinner: “Have you been coding much lately?” I brushed it off. Now I realize — since starting grad school, aside from the Automotive Institute in-car terminal and helping someone’s daughter with VB.net homework, how much have I really coded? Not much. And I keep complaining about courses and teachers.
Wan was worried I’d lose my passion for coding. I didn’t get it then.
There was an open-source competition recently — a great opportunity. But searching my hard drive, I found nothing decent from the past two years. I ended up submitting an ASP website I’d built before switching to software. Maybe it’s time to settle down and make something.
Winter break is coming. Maybe it’s time.