> There’s a certain class of programmer who seems to derive great pleasure in comparing programming to architecture. Maybe because architects are cool, or sound more grand than “programmer”.
in my experience, when people say things like "Maybe because architects are cool, or sound more grand than “programmer”.", it's because not only do they not get the appeal of whatever it is, but they cannot even imagine anyone else doing it for any motive other than posturing.[1]
the true reason (at least from my perspective a someone who does enjoy the comparisons of programming to architecture) is that we already have a lot of intuition for architecture; there is something mentally satisfying about considering the way buildings are designed and constructed, and we have a more physical intuition for the forces and balance involved. software is a lot more abstract, so thinking of it in terms of physical architecture helps people gain some intuition for how all the parts fit together, or at the very least the illusion of intuition.
[1] an interesting analogy is gilbert and sullivan's "patience", where critics have pointed out that gilbert meant to write a parody of the aesthetic movement, but since he himself did not "get" the movement, all he could think of was that its members were conscious frauds, and therefore made that the thrust of the operetta.
in my experience, when people say things like "Maybe because architects are cool, or sound more grand than “programmer”.", it's because not only do they not get the appeal of whatever it is, but they cannot even imagine anyone else doing it for any motive other than posturing.[1]
the true reason (at least from my perspective a someone who does enjoy the comparisons of programming to architecture) is that we already have a lot of intuition for architecture; there is something mentally satisfying about considering the way buildings are designed and constructed, and we have a more physical intuition for the forces and balance involved. software is a lot more abstract, so thinking of it in terms of physical architecture helps people gain some intuition for how all the parts fit together, or at the very least the illusion of intuition.
[1] an interesting analogy is gilbert and sullivan's "patience", where critics have pointed out that gilbert meant to write a parody of the aesthetic movement, but since he himself did not "get" the movement, all he could think of was that its members were conscious frauds, and therefore made that the thrust of the operetta.