On the Wings of Hope : Prose

Each language and technology welcomes him. He feels his consanguinity with them, he feels that part of his soul is concluded with senseless for others streams of numbers, lines of text and that thing called “computer hardware” by his contemporaries. And then he, accepting aid from other Knights and God’s Signs, he allows his Path to lead him there, where myriads or programs, demanded by life, have been waiting for him. Sometimes it happens that he has no time to take a sleep, at times he is tormented by sleeplessness. “Not to worry”, - the Knight thinks, - “it’s all part of my profession. No one has forced me to walk that way. It’s I who have decided as such”. Entire inner power of the Knight is gathered in these short words: he has chosen his path, and has nothing to complain about, no one to blame.

The time will come - in so much centuries - when the Universe will come to the rescue for the Knights of Programming and remain deaf and indifferent to those who have still not understood the beauty of Creativity.

Programs written before demand updating. New ideas demand new boundaries. Spirit and reason thirst for new calls. The future will become the present, and dreams - excepting those which contain prejudices - will have an opportunity to become a reality. What is important shall remain, what is useless will vanish. The Knight, however, doesn’t take the trouble to reflect on programs of his neighbor and to estimate their value. And he will not spend time for censure of decisions, made by others. For in order to believe in fidelity of own path, there is no need to prove that another has chosen a wrong way.

With a great care the Knight of Programming studies what he is going to write. No matter how difficult and hard a path to his goal may be, there are always open ways to overcome a barrier. The Knight seeks roundabout ways, tries to fill both soul and spirit with firmness, and reason with calmness, without which it’s never possible to successfully finish one’s job adequately. But there, already moving ahead by a path of program creation, the Knight starts understanding that there are difficulties and obstacles that were not taken into account at first. If he starts  waiting until the coming of the Muse of Programmer and be afraid of making mistakes, then he will never move even a single bit; to make a first step boldness is required - for it’s impossible to predict everything, especially at design stage, especially at coding stage.

The Knight of  Programming is aware of own weaknesses. But he also knows his talents as well. Others complain: “We were not given an opportunity”. Perhaps they are even right, but the Knight will never let himself stop programming for this reason - instead he will strain own powers and talents to the last limit.

The Knight knows that programmers are not afraid of difficult programs, for they are sure of themselves. And then the Knight tries to comprehend of what he can count on. And he inspects his arms, which include three things - Knowledge, Inspiration, Faith. If all three are in possession, the Knight continues his way without hesitation.

The Knight of Programming knows that not a single programmer can be considered as a fool, and life will once teach everyone - even though it will take much time. The Knight gives to other Knights the best knowledge and skills of his own and expects them to do the same. And in addition he generously and willingly tries to show the whole world, what every programmer is capable of. “Customers are ungrateful”, - complain some of his companions. The true Knight will never be confused by such words. He continues to write programs for them, for that way he improves himself.

Each Knight of Programming used to feel a fear before a new, yet unwritten program. Each Knight of Programming used to give a birth to unworthy code. Each Knight of Programming used to walk the wrong way. Each Knight of Programming used to torment himself because of utter nonsense. Each Knight of Programming used to come to a conclusion that he is not a Knight of Programming. Each Knight of Programming used to renounce his creative duty. Each Knight of Programming used to say “yes” to a new customer, while in fact he urged to say “no” instead. Each Knight of Programming used to hate those programs that he has once loved. That is why he bears the right to be called as a Knight of Programming for he has passed through all this and still not lose his hope of becoming better than he once was.

The Knight always remembers the words, spoken by a Great Programmer: “A well-written program is own paradise; badly written program is own hell”.

The Knight used to accept a challenge made to him. He knows that the one who is going to test his program will not overlook even a single mistake made by him, and will not allow him to pretend as if the written code is unfamiliar to him.