--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm the kind of developer who likes to…" description: "\"I'm the kind of developer who likes to throw lightning rods around. To make a great program there's got to be at least one person at the center who is ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56d/andy-hertzfeld-24074_breathing_i-m-the-kind-of-developer-who-likes-to-t_313861.png" --- # I'm the kind of developer who likes to throw lightning… ![“I'm the kind of developer who likes to throw lightning rods around. To make a great program there's got to be at least one person at the center who is breathing life into it. In a ferocious way.” quote by Andy Hertzfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56d/andy-hertzfeld-24074_breathing_i-m-the-kind-of-developer-who-likes-to-t_313861.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56d/andy-hertzfeld-24074_breathing_i-m-the-kind-of-developer-who-likes-to-t_313861.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56d/andy-hertzfeld-24074_breathing_i-m-the-kind-of-developer-who-likes-to-t_313861.png) > “I'm the kind of developer who likes to throw lightning rods around. To make a great program there's got to be at least one person at the center who is breathing life into it. In a ferocious way.” [Andy Hertzfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-hertzfeld/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Effective software needs a passionate, central figure who drives innovation and energy. **In simple terms:** Great programs need a driven core creator. Key Takeaway Cultivate a strong, visionary role in projects. Themes leadership creativity technology Mood inspirational pragmatic Type leadership technology When to use this quote - startup - open source - product development - innovation labs Key Concepts software design team dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance central vision with team collaboration? - What safeguards prevent dependence on one individual? A Different Perspective Over‑reliance on a single person can create bottlenecks or burnout. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Breathing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breathing/) [Breathing life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breathing-life/) [Developers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/developers/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Lightning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lightning/) [Programming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/programming/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) ## Related quotes > [“He told stories to help Two Mothers overcome childish fear. "Now,my son, why do you fear the storm? It is only the warriors of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-grace-whitson/he-told-stories-to-help-two-mothers-overcome-childish-fear-now-my-son/) [Stephanie Grace Whitson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-grace-whitson/) > [“Developers are the most-important, most-valuable constituency in business today, regardless of industry. Technologists newly empowered with tools, hyper-connected via specialized collaboration and communication networks,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-o-grady/developers-are-the-most-important-most-valuable-constituency-in/) [Stephen O’Grady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-o-grady/) > [Every developer will want to live in this world…and it’s our job to build it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/urs-holzle/every-developer-will-want-to-live-in-this-world-and-it-s-our-job-to/) Urs Holzle > [I think the downloadable scene in general is really, really interesting for developers because it's low-risk. It doesn't require as much money as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-swift/i-think-the-downloadable-scene-in-general-is-really-really/) [Kim Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-swift/) > [With the support of our vibrant web developer community and dedicated partners, our goal is to level the playing field and usher in an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-kovacs/with-the-support-of-our-vibrant-web-developer-community-and-dedicated/) [Gary Kovacs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-kovacs/) > [Responsiblity is the great developer of men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-parker-follett/responsiblity-is-the-great-developer-of-men/) [Mary Parker Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-parker-follett/) > [I was a late developer and, at the age of 15, I almost thought of quitting football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ole-gunnar-solskjaer/i-was-a-late-developer-and-at-the-age-of-15-i-almost-thought-of/) [Ole Gunnar Solskjaer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ole-gunnar-solskjaer/) > [We need games like 'A Closed World' for many reasons. When you hear another developer talk about how games need to grow up, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-manuel/we-need-games-like-a-closed-world-for-many-reasons-when-you-hear/) [Rob Manuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-manuel/) > [Right now you are a prisoner of each application you use. You have only the options that were given you by the developer of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nelson/right-now-you-are-a-prisoner-of-each-application-you-use-you-have/) [Ted Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nelson/) > [I'm a late developer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-scott-thomas/i-m-a-late-developer/) [Kristin Scott Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-scott-thomas/) > [From our point of view it's important that Apple not be the developer for the world. We can't take all of our energy and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/from-our-point-of-view-it-s-important-that-apple-not-be-the-developer/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [The currency in the developer community is enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/the-currency-in-the-developer-community-is-enthusiasm/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) > [You can't spell 'developer' without 'devel.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mayer/you-can-t-spell-developer-without-devel/) [John Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mayer/) > [I just love building buildings. I'm the largest developer in New York City. I'm having a lot of fun doing it. I think I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-just-love-building-buildings-i-m-the-largest-developer-in-new-york/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [“There are many ways to achieve developer happiness, but making your core business products a playground for developers seeking novelty is the path to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-are-many-ways-to-achieve-developer-happiness-but-making-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Andy Hertzfeld > [Working long hours being single helps because your time is yours. Once you have a family your time isn't all yours anymore. Most of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-hertzfeld/working-long-hours-being-single-helps-because-your-time-is-yours-once/) [Andy Hertzfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-hertzfeld/) > [ It's \[programming\] the only job I can think of where I get to be both an engineer and an artist. There's an incredible, rigorous,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-hertzfeld/it-s-programming-the-only-job-i-can-think-of-where-i-get-to-be-both/) [Andy Hertzfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-hertzfeld/) > [As you know, Microsoft eventually kind of grabbed the gold ring out of Apple's hands, I guess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-hertzfeld/as-you-know-microsoft-eventually-kind-of-grabbed-the-gold-ring-out-of/) [Andy Hertzfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-hertzfeld/) > [But typically for a project like the Mac, the size we had was pretty good. And it has different stages. The team grows as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-hertzfeld/but-typically-for-a-project-like-the-mac-the-size-we-had-was-pretty/) [Andy Hertzfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-hertzfeld/) > [Part of Steve's job was to drum into us how important what we were doing actually would be to the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-hertzfeld/part-of-steve-s-job-was-to-drum-into-us-how-important-what-we-were/) [Andy Hertzfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-hertzfeld/) > [We were developing an innovative Personal Information Manager called Chandler but a couple years ago I took off from that to do a project…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-hertzfeld/we-were-developing-an-innovative-personal-information-manager-called/) [Andy Hertzfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-hertzfeld/) > [I got bitten by the free software bug in February of 1998 around the time of the Mozilla announcement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-hertzfeld/i-got-bitten-by-the-free-software-bug-in-february-of-1998-around-the/) [Andy Hertzfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-hertzfeld/) > [I left Apple in April of 1984, pretty soon after the introduction of the Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-hertzfeld/i-left-apple-in-april-of-1984-pretty-soon-after-the-introduction-of/) [Andy Hertzfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-hertzfeld/) > [I was a grad student at UC Berkeley when I bought my Apple II and it suddenly because a lot more interesting than school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-hertzfeld/i-was-a-grad-student-at-uc-berkeley-when-i-bought-my-apple-ii-and-it/) [Andy Hertzfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-hertzfeld/) > [You show me a great program and I'll show you a passionate individual somewhere behind it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-hertzfeld/you-show-me-a-great-program-and-i-ll-show-you-a-passionate-individual/) [Andy Hertzfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-hertzfeld/) > [Scotty heard that I was thinking about quitting Apple because of his actions, so he called me into his office and asked what it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-hertzfeld/scotty-heard-that-i-was-thinking-about-quitting-apple-because-of-his/) [Andy Hertzfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-hertzfeld/) > [I developed some unique software to public it on the web that I call the Folklore Project.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-hertzfeld/i-developed-some-unique-software-to-public-it-on-the-web-that-i-call/) [Andy Hertzfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-hertzfeld/) > [The Macintosh having shipped, his next agenda was to turn the rest of Apple into the Mac group. He had perceived the rest of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-hertzfeld/the-macintosh-having-shipped-his-next-agenda-was-to-turn-the-rest-of/) [Andy Hertzfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-hertzfeld/) > [I left General Magic in 1996 to become an Internet hobbyist - got a T-1 line to my house. At one point I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-hertzfeld/i-left-general-magic-in-1996-to-become-an-internet-hobbyist-got-a-t-1/) [Andy Hertzfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-hertzfeld/) > [A lot of people thought Steve Jobs was a CEO of Apple but he never was until he came back to Apple in 1997.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-hertzfeld/a-lot-of-people-thought-steve-jobs-was-a-ceo-of-apple-but-he-never/) [Andy Hertzfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-hertzfeld/) [Explore all 25 Andy Hertzfeld quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-hertzfeld/) ## More Breathing quotes > [A thing of beauty is a joy for ever;It's loveliness increase;it will never pass into nothingness;but still will keep a bower quiet for us,and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/a-thing-of-beauty-is-a-joy-for-ever-it-s-loveliness-increase-it-will/) [John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/) > [“As long as we’re breathing, we have a chance to start over and build a stable future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-ha-campbell/as-long-as-we-re-breathing-we-have-a-chance-to-start-over-and-build-a/) [Kim Ha Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-ha-campbell/) > [People don't think much about breathing. Of all the things we take for granted, breathing has to be number one - even though it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-hamilton/people-don-t-think-much-about-breathing-of-all-the-things-we-take-for/) [Laird Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-hamilton/) > [Aging is like enlightenment at gunpoint. Before I had cancer, I lived my life for my art. After I had cancer, I lived my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-halprin/aging-is-like-enlightenment-at-gunpoint-before-i-had-cancer-i-lived/) [Anna Halprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-halprin/) > [I wish," Jared began, and stopped, breathing in. "Do you remember how you used to believe I wasn't real? Sometimes I wish that was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/i-wish-jared-began-and-stopped-breathing-in-do-you-remember-how-you/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [The still affection of the heart Became an outward breathing type, That into stillness past again, And left a want unknown before; Although the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/the-still-affection-of-the-heart-became-an-outward-breathing-type/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [Breathing is give(carbon dioxide) and take(oxygen), such is life, find balance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-williams/breathing-is-give-carbon-dioxide-and-take-oxygen-such-is-life-find/) Marcel Williams > [I'll probably be writing as long as I'm breathing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kris-kristofferson/i-ll-probably-be-writing-as-long-as-i-m-breathing/) [Kris Kristofferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kris-kristofferson/) > [For me writing is like breathing. I could not live without breathing and I could not live without writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-neruda/for-me-writing-is-like-breathing-i-could-not-live-without-breathing/) [Pablo Neruda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-neruda/) > [I’m in, Cat. I’d never leave you. Especially when you’ve got death breathing down your neck.” “Very funny,” I retorted, since Bones was inches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeaniene-frost/i-m-in-cat-i-d-never-leave-you-especially-when-you-ve-got-death/) [Jeaniene Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeaniene-frost/) > [Splutter, splutter. Yes - we're off - we're rising. But why start off with an engine like that? But it smooths out now, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/splutter-splutter-yes-we-re-off-we-re-rising-but-why-start-off-with/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [He’d moved toward me again. His hands released mine and moved to my waist, and I noticed I wasn’t the only one breathing heavily.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/he-d-moved-toward-me-again-his-hands-released-mine-and-moved-to-my/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [My worry is that opera will become an historic art form as opposed to a living, breathing thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renee-fleming/my-worry-is-that-opera-will-become-an-historic-art-form-as-opposed-to/) [Renee Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renee-fleming/) > [I'm really fascinated and you know I've been wondering about that usage of language, various breathing techniques and why in these practices language is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-acker/i-m-really-fascinated-and-you-know-i-ve-been-wondering-about-that/) [Kathy Acker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-acker/) > [I’m exactly right for you, Bella. It would have been effortless for us — comfortable, easy as breathing. I was the natural path your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/i-m-exactly-right-for-you-bella-it-would-have-been-effortless-for-us/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) [Browse all 1,666 Breathing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breathing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm the kind of developer who likes to throw lightning rods around. To make a great program there's got to be at least one person at the center who is breathing life into it. 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