me: “I know Python! I've been using it on and off for like 15 years!”
also me: <still has no real idea what `setup.py` does>
(not looking for someone to explain it to me thanks)
@b0rk show me someone who's used a language for 15 years and _doesn't_ have any random gap in their knowledge for a part they've never happened to run across, and I'll show you someone who's either straight-up bluffing, or doing a just-in-time web-search every time they're asked a question they don't know the answer to :-)
@simontatham @b0rk Often even a very experienced and knowledgeable programmer can have big gaps in their knowledge - but they know where they are. "Oh yes, IDK anything about <feature>. I do remember that it's full of beartraps, so I avoid it and recommend that others do so too."
@Diziet @simontatham @b0rk On a slightly related note, I once half-joked to a colleague+friend who is an electrical engineer working as a (very experienced and knowledgeable) software developer, that I’d be wary of (non-software) engineers programming, and he answered in earnest that he was well aware that his programming knowledge had limits and that he took care to steer clear of them. Chapeau!
@Diziet, thanks, that’s exactly how I’m going to answer questions about C++ from now on.