Chapter 54. Inspirational Programming Advice from Howard Roark
In this chapter, I'm going to discuss one of the quotes that I've always turned to for inspiration as a developer.
It's from Ayn Rand's book, The Fountainhead. The main character in the book, Howard Roark, is a skilled architect and typifies the concept of being a true craftsman, in the same way that all of us, as developers, should approach our own projects.
This quote discusses how every project is special and deserves a unique implementation, and it goes as follows:
"Rules? Here are my rules: what can be done with one substance must never be done with another. No two materials are alike. No two sites on earth are alike. No two buildings have the same purpose. The purpose, the site, the material determine the shape. Nothing can be reasonable or beautiful unless it's made by one central idea, and the idea sets every detail. A building is alive, like a man. Its integrity is to follow its...
