Are Software Engineers Idiot-Proof?
One of the most popular geek quotes ever is this one:
“Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning.”
This quote illustrates very nicely the insanely confrontational bias that software engineers tend to exhibit toward ‘regular’ people. Software engineers start from the unexamined (and unwarranted) assumption that they themselves are fully idiot-proof, and then proceed to build idiot-proof programs for the benefit of humanity.
In exasperation, they pull their hair out and throw the towel in, proclaiming that so far, the Universe is in the lead by producing bigger and better idiots all the time.
Who is the idiot here? You be the judge.