Optimism is an occupational hazard of programming; feedback is the treatment.

The community isn't nearly as afraid as it thinks it is.

Responsible Development is the style of development I aspire to now. It can be summarized by answering the question, How would I develop if it were my money? I'm amazed how many theoretical arguments evaporate when faced with this question.

How good the design is doesn't matter near as much as whether the design is getting better or worse. If it is getting better, day by day, I can live with it forever. If it is getting worse, I will die.

Listening, Testing, Coding, Designing. That's all there is to software. Anyone who tells you different is selling something.

I tell people to start implementing when they are pretty sure there aren't more important stories out there. An iteration's worth of data is worth months of speculation.

I don't like the feeling, but I've got to say that a little fear makes me a more focused, more responsible programmer.