Tech.It.To.Me->{By.Anton.Perez}

Here’s a presentation video by Gever Tulley, founder of the Tinkering School, on 5 dangerous things you should let your kids do; for example, let your children own a pocket knife, and let them play with fire.  His argument is that when we allow our children to explore, it “will make them stronger and smarter and actually safer.”

I was skeptical at first, but after watching the video and thinking it over, it made sense.  I’ll still have to think about it, and will probably know more and will have decided when the time comes with my children.

BTW, happy new year!  I hope you have an awesome 2008 ahead.

Here’s an interesting article that Peter Norvig wrote about how wanna-be programmers are in such a hurry in becoming a full-fledged “developer,” buying into Teach Yourself <some language> in 21 days books and the likes.

I’ve been developing/programming for a while now and to become a developer, a great one, you simply cannot take shortcuts.

Every aspiring or veteran developer should read or re-read Norvig’s Teach Yourself Programming in Ten Years article.

When leaders make a mistake, they say, “I was wrong.”
When followers make mistakes, they say, “It wasn’t my fault.”

A leader works harder than a follower and has more time;
a follower is always “too busy” to do what is necessary.

A leader goes through a problem;
a follower goes around it and never gets past it.

A leader makes and keeps commitments;
a follower makes and forgets promises.

A leader says, “I’m good, but not as good as I ought to be;”
a follower says, “I’m not as bad as a lot of other people.”

Leaders listen;
followers just wait until it’s their turn to talk.

Leaders respect those who are superior to them and try to learn something from them;
followers resent those who are superior to them and try to find chinks in their armor.

Leaders feel responsible for more than their job;
followers say, “I only work here.”

A leader says, “There ought to be a better way to do this;”
followers say, “That’s the way it’s always been done here.”

Happy New Year!