The longer I work in software, the more convinced I am that the term “computer science” is mostly hogwash, as it applies to software development. Writing software is a lot more like writing a story than it is like baking a cake or doing qualitative analysis of soil samples. Given the same task, 3 programmers will do it 5 different ways, and each will have its unique beauty, its unique ugliness, and its unique ways to solve the tricky problems that come up along the way.

I’m lucky enough to work with some folks who have very creative ways to solve problems, rather than cut-and-pasting someone else’s solution.

And it never ceases to amaze me how every industry, no matter how stodgy or boring of itself, provides opportunities for unique creative expression. And no matter how much experience I have, I keep encountering folks with far less experience, but far more creativity and talent. I firmly believe in the old adage that one should hire people smarter than oneself.