John Farrell

John Farrell (mailto:friendless@optushome.com.au) is a programmer from a research background who lives and works in Brisbane, Australia. He was once known as Friendless (well, still is). He's an active member of the Australian Java User Group in Brisbane.

John holds a Ph.D. in ComputerScience from the University of Queensland [http://www.uq.edu.au/]. His doctoral dissertation was on FunctionalProgramming, in particular the mathematical analysis of functional programs to find CompilerOptimizations?. It all seems so long ago.

In my spare time, I play squash and drink beer, in that order. Even though the beer returns the calories I burnt, the IncreasedBasicMetabolicRate? seems to keep me fitter. That's my story and I'm sticking with it.

On the MyersBriggs temperament assessment, I'm an ENTP (Inventor). Inventors are the people least likely to do things one way because that's the way they've always been done. You may notice I am often a voice of dissent, e.g. I started DoNotUseAssertions. However, any useful idea will be able to withstand some criticism.

I Should Look At It:

CategoryHomePage

''John, sorry I didn't answer to your comment on my homepage (FalkBruegmann) any sooner - I just didn't look at that page. When I said there were so many GreatBooksToRead?, I was probably mostly referring to my (partly unread) software engineering books. Great Fiction? Haven't encountered any in the last few months, sorry.''

Thanks Falk. I had a look at the Refactoring book over the weekend, and was quite impressed. Unfortunately, I squandered much of the weekend reading the history of WorldSeriesCricket? :-) and didn't get a good look. Seems to be a lot of WikiWisdom distilled, we could do with a few more books like that.

"WikiWisdom distilled" would be a good phrase to describe ThePragmaticProgrammer, which is the book I liked best since the Refactoring book. -- FalkBruegmann

The other day, I came across your article MakeBadCodeGood?. It turned out to be very helpful in my current project - as a discussion starter, as way to quickly get across another big piece of WikiWisdom, and as a source of new ideas. Thanks a lot! (More of the same! ;-) ) -- FalkBruegmann

I think I'm an Imbecile:

"With the eyes of a fool," he said, "You see the state you're in, Still you stumble through your stupid life, Still you laugh and grin; Vagabond on a winding road, That only leads you down, Blind to the danger and dismay, That wiped the innocent smile away, From the face of a laughing clown."

Imbecile, you are acting like a fool again, In a world of thieves all ready to run you down, Imbecile, they are waiting 'til you make the first mistake, And you're goin' to make it, That's why I'll always call you an imbecile.

"You weren't always a sorcerer," The joker then replied, "It seems to me you've learned it on the way, You live by tricks and lies, Standing 'round in your jugglers gown, There seems no reason why; Flashing your eyes and casting spells, With candles, and signs, and magic bells, Oh, you are the fool, not I."

Imbecile, you can call me that if you feel the need, But life is short, and I am living it while I can. If it rains I'll get wet, but in the sunshine I'll be dry, It is you who are foolish, Just 'cause I laugh don't call me an imbecile.

"We both are right," said the sorcerer, "And both of us are wrong, For though we walk this road, we don't know where it leads. We only know it's long. You have something to learn from me, And I can learn from you; You with your jokes and simple plans, And me with my tricks and sleight of hand, Together we could get through.

Imbeciles, we are dancing down a darkened road, Though the stars are out not one of us knows the way. Imbeciles up ahead of us, and millions more behind, And we're laughing and smiling that's why I say, We're all of us imbeciles.