[mmastrac]

This applies to code as well. I worked on an internal PostgreSQL protocol driver for work and I've been focusing on understanding the binary message format inside and out, then the server state machine and query behaviour, and only then building a driver.

Don't underestimate the value of time spent grinding the low levels for code that is fundamentally important to what you are doing. You come away with a much stronger understanding than if you just hack a solution, cargo culting some existing code and just shipping it.

[hinkley]

The 200% Problem. You have to understand the abstraction but then when it doesn’t work you have to understand the thing it abstracts too.

Which of course the author always does and so they don’t get what they’ve done to people.