Aesthetics and the Human Factor in Programming – A.P. Ershov (1972)

Many many observations rang true to me. The comparison of hyper-specialised programmers to a man asked to solve 50,000 croswords, day after day after day struck a chord.

When you think that Ershov was a product of the planned economy, which simultaneously welcomed computers in, but with some profound skepticisms about their impact on state planning, and then went full-bore trying to use them to manage the planned economy (mixed results: GIGO?) this is a remarkably humane and interesting take on the personal aesthetic and human experience in programming.

He's right about the dehumanising nature of the production line.