[jantypas]

I'm not sure any language, book, class etc. creates the empowerment. I work in several languages and frameworks, and I don't feel any more powerful than when I was working with Unix and K&R. I think it's deeper than that -- software is its own universe -- you run that universe within the limits set by logic. Hardware is similar but you have to buy things and they can die and they're not easily repaired. Software is "zero-cost" if you don't count your time and effort (!!) compared to other realms.