Re: PG: Hackers and Painters

[Steve Dekorte <address@hidden>]

On Monday, May 19, 2003, at 11:37 AM, Matt Curtin wrote:
> Steve Dekorte <steve@dekorte.com> writes:
>> Would Picasso have made better paintings with someone looking over
>> his shoulder and stepping in occasionally?
>
> Perhaps.  Maybe Leonardo da Vinci's work got to the level that it did
> in part through the direction that he received when he apprenticed
> under Andrea del Verrocchio......my experience has
> always been that when I can collaborate with the right person who
> shares my values and goals, my work, and my collaborator's, is better
> than either of us would have produced completely independently...

Matt,

The problem I see is not when someone is in charge, but when no *one* 
is in charge. You'll notice that the successful LL1 languages are run 
by benevolent dictators. And if you want to find the most generally 
despised languages, look to those designed by committees. The book 
"Groupthink" by Irving Janis offers some insight into why groups are so 
poor at decision making.

Cheers,
Steve
"Statically typed languages are like American sports cars.
They go fast, but only in a straight line"