[Phil Karlton]: "There are only two hard problems in computer science: cache invalidation and naming things."

Stafford Beer: "The Purpose Of the System Is What It Does"

[Work].

Taking a cue from [http://www.reddit.com/r/programming/comments/b8e7y/as_a_programmer_what_single_discovery_has_given/ this reddit bit], what things make programming easier, better, safer, faster, saner, etc.?

* Use a serious editor.
* Version control.
* Big monitors and serious window managers.
* Good input devices.
* Paper notebooks and decent pens. Sticky notes. Tape. Whiteboards.
* Github.
* Close the door, unplug the phone, own good headphones, work on snow days.
* Talk to other programmers, explain your problems, listen to theirs.
* Read other people's code.
* Work with people smarter than you.
* Make broken code act broken.
** A single explosion is better than years of silent murder in the dark. A forlorn and pathetic cry for help is better than either.
** Never mind failing ''gracefully'' - fail ''explicitly''.
* Never enable false economies. Cheap equipment is you at the office at 3am screaming at the walls.
* Sleep plenty, eat well, go outside.
* Go for walks.
* Be careful about mistaking expressed desires for actual needs.
* You'll lie all the time - everyone does. When you're writing code, say what you mean and mean what you say.