Your fences need to be horse high, pig tight and bull strong.
Application code should be scalable, clean and secure.
Life ain't about how fast you run, or how high you climb, but how well you bounce.
It's not about how fast it gets developed, it's about how well it works.
Keep skunks and bankers and lawyers at a distance.
Don't share too much detail about the application's progress with those who just need to know the bare bones details.
Life is simpler when you plow around the stump.
Stumped with something? Don't contemplate it for hours on end. Give your brain a rest. Move on to a different project or a different piece of the application that's not dependant on what you're stuck on. The answer will come to you in time -- either by popping into your head or by asking colleagues and other developers.
A bumblebee is considerably faster than a John Deere tractor.
Don't run away from a project that scares you. If it's important, it'll catch up with you in the end.
Forgive your enemies. It messes up their heads.
While it's good to hand code, sometimes it is just easier to copy & paste the HTML for a table from a WYSIWYG editor. Being resourceful is not being sloppy or stupid. Trust but verify, though.
Do not corner something that you know is meaner than you.
Don't try to modify something or blow something away unless you're positive you know what you're doing. Always keep backup copies -- sometimes things are more complex than what first meets the eye -- even if it's something we've written ourselves. Plus, you never know when you'll want to go back and reference something.
Every path has a few puddles.
Applications have bugs. Don't stress over them. Take a break or grab a snack if you're frustrated.
When you wallow with pigs, expect to get dirty.
There's tons of free classes, applications and scripts available online. Some are good, some are bad. Try to reuse in-house code whenever possible. When it's not, try to develop your own. If you need help, look at free resources, but always recode/rewrite. Sticking in code from a variety of different applications, programmers and style guides will make your application messy.
Most of the stuff people worry about ain't never gonna happen anyway.
Keep your applications secure, but use judgment.
Don't judge folks by their relatives.
Most applications get better as time goes on. Never be afraid to try new things or new applications that might be useful to you. Download new versions and see how they work.
Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
You may not always know exactly how long it's going to take you to code something right away. Don't be afraid to say this. Map out the project, sleep on it and readdress the issue after careful thought.
Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll enjoy it a second time.
Do things correctly from the start -- comment your code, adhere to the style guides, and lay solid groundwork. Don't rush. You'll thank yourself and your colleagues will thank you when something needs to be added a year from now.
Don't interfere with somethin' that ain't botherin' you none.
We all have ideas for cool enhancements, but stick to the project scope.
The easiest way to eat crow is while it's still warm, 'cause the colder it gets, the harder it is to swaller.
Don't be afraid to admit you don't know how to do something or you've never done a project like this one from the beginning. Your clients/boss will appreciate your honesty. Don't be afraid to be resourceful, however. Just because you don't know how to do something doesn't mean a colleague doesn't either or that you can't find out how. But be upfront and honest.
If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop diggin'.
Test your code periodically. The farther along in the project you get, the harder it is to spot bugs.
Sometimes you get, and sometimes you get got.
Sometimes you'll get lucky and everything will be up to spec on the first shot, but sometimes the scope changes. It's part of what we do -- don't get discouraged. Have confidence in yourself and in your abilities.
The biggest troublemaker you'll probably ever have to deal with watches you shave his face in the mirror every mornin'.
You're your own biggest critic. We all look at code we've written months ago and shake our heads. That doesn't mean you need to re-write it -- don't fix it if it ain't broke.
If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around.
Everyone has their own style and their own reasons for doing something. Don't look at somebody else's source and rip it apart immediately. Try to figure out why they did what they did -- and remember that we all have to start somewhere! Be an educator, not an idiot. Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that that comes from bad judgment.
Lettin' the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier than puttin' it back in.
Have a really good idea for something? Think you can write an application that will land you rich? Great! Now don't tell too many people about it.
