December 15, 2024
V: all the important things are done within the library. What is there to do in the programs I write?
A: Knowledge is built in layers. We of course use the lower layers. For example, Numpy is built on Python. Designing Python itself was a complex job. But whomever designed it, used the computer architecture, compiler creator like Yacc, to create it. Computer architecture itself used electronic logic circuits and transistors. So each layer itself was a complex creative work built on top of the lower layers. More importantly, the layer below could not have predicted what will be built over it.
In the same way, somebody will discover exo-planets and exo-moons using Astropy and Numpy which their authors could not have ever imagined.
So each layer in retrospect looks critical and daunting while the layer which is work in progress looks childish and silly. But over time, some work will succeed and survive. And future generations will build on top of them. To them, your work will look impressive and creative.
A: Knowledge is built in layers. We of course use the lower layers. For example, Numpy is built on Python. Designing Python itself was a complex job. But whomever designed it, used the computer architecture, compiler creator like Yacc, to create it. Computer architecture itself used electronic logic circuits and transistors. So each layer itself was a complex creative work built on top of the lower layers. More importantly, the layer below could not have predicted what will be built over it.
In the same way, somebody will discover exo-planets and exo-moons using Astropy and Numpy which their authors could not have ever imagined.
So each layer in retrospect looks critical and daunting while the layer which is work in progress looks childish and silly. But over time, some work will succeed and survive. And future generations will build on top of them. To them, your work will look impressive and creative.