Masterminds of Programming

Appendix B. Afterword

A SINGLE WORD DESCRIBES MY CHIEF PLEASURE FROM WORKING ON THIS PROJECT—ENTHUSIASM. Every interviewee offered the rewards you might expect—deep knowledge, historical lore, and practical insights—but it was their enthusiasm for the subject of language design, implementation, and growth that proved infectious.

For example, Anders Hejlsberg and James Gosling made me excited about C# and Java again. Chuck Moore and Adin Falkoff convinced me to explore Forth and APL, two languages invented before I was born. Al Aho enticed me by describing his compiler class. Everyone we interviewed gave me multiple ideas I wish I had the time to explore!

My debt of gratitude is great, not just for the time they gave Federico and me, but because they blazed trails to a rich and fertile field of invention. The best lessons I’ve taken away from this experience are:

• Never underestimate the value of simplicity of design or implementation. You can always add complexity. A master removes it.

• Pursue your curiosity with passion. Many of the best inventions and discoveries occurred when someone was in the right place at the right time, ready to chase the right answer.

• Know the field, past and present. Every one of the interviewees worked with other smart, hardworking people. Our field depends on this sharing of information.

The languages du jour may change continually, but the problems each of these masterminds faced still haunt us—and their answers still apply. How do you maintain software? How ...