[ale] [WAY OT]Reverse Engineering MS Visual Basic Applications

[griffisb at bellsouth.net]

Wow, this has gone WAY too far. I've set up filters on my KMail to avoid this type of discussion, but decided to log in via Web and catch up. Time to set up some more filters. I am disappointed in this type of communication - it is bullying and mean-spirited. I learn too much valuable information to consider leaving the group (thanks guys, you have helped a newbie tremendously) - but find this type of thread just plain wrong.

I am not a programmer. I was an English Lit major, Philosophy minor for 3.5 years. Left to work and join the real world. Went back to night school a LONG time ago and earned a BS/CIS with a lot of hard work. Not that has anything to do with anything. But it DID give me enough of a taste to realize that programming is a creative act. And that programming is not something that I could do well.

Drew - coming up with specs for a program is creative, absolutely. But so is putting that specification into reality. If programming where no more than taking dictation - then you could simply dictate into your PC's app generator and come up with what you want. That does not appear to be the case. Having worked for (er, ahem) 20 years in the computer industry, I KNOW that a creative spirit and mind are required to create code. I also know that creativity is required to succesfully manage code maintenance.

Your statement about "if programmers were really creative - they would have the vision to program something that would bring them financial freedom instead of 
wasting energy engaging in classism and having unrestrained envy and jealousy 
 - while begging the trully creative visionary entreprenuers for jobs" is just plain wrong, mean-spirited and bullying. It would seem to me that WITHOUT programmers - these visionaries would have nothing but visions. Nothing real, nothing concrete.

Get thee to my killfile!