I first heard this during a filksing at Balticon in 1980. There was a local group called “Clam Chowder” that used to perform twice a night at the con; it’s where I learned the words to “The Band Played Waltzing Matilda” – a song which had a lot to do with turning me anti-war.

Stan Rogers:

There was one meeting, at one job, where I was writing code on a project that was being suffocated with incompetent management and structured design methodologies. I am actually a fan of appropriately structured design but the fellow running the project didn’t know how software was written, and was trying to work around that fact with all the methodology. I finally couldn’t take it any more and I found a better project and a better boss along with it.

As I left work the day I gave notice, I remember singing “Ooh boys, can you code it?”  It was a beautiful fall day and the world was bright and full of promise. At that time nobody had explained “privilege” to me, so I simply thought it was my due that I’d find rewarding and fulfilling work.