cypherpunks write girl code? :)

coderman coderman at gmail.com
Thu Mar 30 11:05:56 PST 2006


http://headrush.typepad.com/creating_passionate_users/

Do engineers and programmers care about concepts like beauty and
elegance? Should they? Designers have always known that looks
matter--that the outside (interface) matters. But deep in the heart of
those building the inside--the technology most users never see--lies
the sensibility of an artist. In a kind of "Design Eye for the Code
Guy" way.

While I'm stereotyping with abandon, I might as well be honest. I've
been going to tech conferences for the last 15 years, and I swear the
ratio of pocket protectors to Urban Outfitter clothes has shifted
dramatically. So maybe it's not accurate to say geeks today are better
looking--but they're certainly better dressed. With hipper haircuts.

Does this /mean/ anything? Maybe.

What prompted this post--and it's whimsical title--is a post by Jamis
Buck titled Beautiful code, test first, which includes the following:

"He was telling me how he feels like he has to sit and tweak his code
over and over until it not only acts right, but looks right. It cannot
be merely functional, it must be beautiful, as well."

But the best part was a comment by "Morten" that included the line:

"As for spending too much time on making the code look right down to
the last indentation - my code has been called "girl code" for the
same reason..."

And there you have it. I think "girl code" is quite a compliment.
Because caring about things like beauty makes us better programmers
and engineers. We make better things. Things that aren't just
functional, but easy to read, elegantly maintainable, easier--and more
joyful--to use, and sometimes flat-out sexy. And whether we like it or
not, most of the world associates an appreciation for beauty more with
women than men (especially geek men). Women may have a genetic
advantage here.

A passion for aesthetics can mean the difference between code that
others enjoy working on vs. code that's stressful to look at.

...

Yes, calling beautiful code "girl code" is both silly and some might
believe sexist. But that doesn't mean there isn't some truth to it. As
a female technologist in a heavily male-skewed industry, I don't need
you to compliment my hair. But if you tell me my code is pretty, I
might give you some tips.

And if it makes you feel better, I'll refer to YOUR gorgeous code as
metrosexual. But we'll both know the truth.





More information about the cypherpunks-legacy mailing list