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Comment by swombat | Hacker News Reader

Hia,

I wrote this article a long time ago, long before the whole hyperbrain thing. It was actually published here, although with "www" in the URL, which explains why it can be reposted :-/

This was actually the article via which I found HackerNews, since HN showed up as a large referrer in my logs so I came here to investigate and, finding it to my taste, stayed.

And to answer your question, no, I don't think these characteristics are in any way related to hyperbrains.

(initial post of this article: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=97121 )

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Hi, thanks for answering. I relate this to hyperbrains because it talks about programmers that: a) are intelligent, b) work in a lot of different projects, possibly unrelated, that are usually hidden, c) are passionate, and self-taught. Maybe not(hyperbrains<->your good programmers), but I'm sure a stable hyperbrain programmer would have all characteristics on your list.

Anyway, I don't like the hyperbrain word (sounds too powerful, as if being better than the other brains and I don't like it), though I really like your articles on the subject btw.

I'm sure a stable hyperbrain programmer would have all characteristics on your list.

That's quite possible, actually. Someone with a hyperbrain who also happens to be a programmer will probably fit most of these criteria - but then, I would say that this is more an indication of hyperbrains being well adapted to programming than of good programmers being hyperbrains.

Anyway, I don't like the hyperbrain word (sounds too powerful, as if being better than the other brains and I don't like it), though I really like your articles on the subject btw.

Thanks. I came up with "hyperbrain" because I felt I had to call it something for it to stick out. Hyperbrain seems like a reasonable term because: a) it's not in use, b) it transmits the idea that this kind of person is "hyper", in the sense of being more extreme in their behaviour. Certainly it's not perfect, but oh well. If it sticks around, it'll stick around, if not, it won't ;-)

Someone with a hyperbrain who also happens to be a programmer will probably fit most of these criteria - but then, I would say that this is more an indication of hyperbrains being well adapted to programming than of good programmers being hyperbrains.

Touché. If your criteria for good programmers is ok, then you are right.

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