Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!rutgers!rochester!cornell!uw-beaver!mit-eddie!husc6!mailrus!ames!pasteur!agate!eris!mwm
From: mwm@eris (Mike (My watch has windows) Meyer)
Newsgroups: comp.misc
Subject: Re: Newest programming skill
Keywords: Ada, programming skills, commentary
Message-ID: <7098@agate.BERKELEY.EDU>
Date: 21 Feb 88 09:23:51 GMT
References: <1105@percival.UUCP>
Sender: usenet@agate.BERKELEY.EDU
Reply-To: mwm@eris.UUCP (Mike (My watch has windows) Meyer)
Organization: Missionaria Phonibalonica
Lines: 24

In article <1105@percival.UUCP> gary@percival.UUCP (Gary Wells) writes:
<But since when is an abilty to "guess right" part
<of a good programmers skills?

As long as I've been programming.

	The best way to solve a problem is to guess the right answer,
	and then prove it's right.
	- Dr. R. V. Andree

It's _much_ easier to demonstrate that an answer is right than to find
a right answer from the empty set. For example, having done drop-in
consulting for students, the difference between them trying to figure
out why their programs blew up and me trying the same thing is that I
can look at the output, and have a feel for what they did wrong. Having
"guessed right," it then becomes a simple matter to check their program
listing to "prove I'm right."

	<mike
--
He was your reason for living				Mike Meyer
So you once said					mwm@berkeley.edu
Now your reason for living				ucbvax!mwm
Has left you half dead					mwm@ucbjade.BITNET