The demise of the low level programmer
I am happy about the 'demise of low level programmer'. Why? Because for me programming is more about algorithms/data structures than circuits, microprocessors and caches. I am happy that I didn't have to write mouse handlers, keyboard handlers - because have I started doing that, I'd either got bored before managing to do something useful, or changed my passion towards low-level stuff before writing my first quicksort. I am also happy that I can write something without understanding all mechanismes behind it - that I can build some site with django not even knowing how http works, or play with some graphics having no idea about graphic cards. Sure, all of this stuff is interesting - but it's just too much! Low level guys did their job well, so now people who don't like machines so much can build cool stuff on top of that.I don't want to praise ignorance - probably I will read some of the stuff he linked under the article - I just think it's ok that people can do something useful with computer not knowing all the details about it. It's worth knowing though - but just as you can have no idea about physics of sound and how piano works and write nice songs, you can build nice stuff with high level tools not knowing low level.