--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Every good work of software starts by…" description: "\"Every good work of software starts by scratching a developers personal itch.\" — Eric S. Raymond" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23f/eric-s-raymond-5007_developers_every-good-work-of-software-starts-by-sc_1888513.png" --- # Every good work of software starts by scratching a… ![“Every good work of software starts by scratching a developers personal itch.” quote by Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23f/eric-s-raymond-5007_developers_every-good-work-of-software-starts-by-sc_1888513.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23f/eric-s-raymond-5007_developers_every-good-work-of-software-starts-by-sc_1888513.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23f/eric-s-raymond-5007_developers_every-good-work-of-software-starts-by-sc_1888513.png) > “Every good work of software starts by scratching a developers personal itch.” [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Software begins by solving a personal problem. **In simple terms:** Personal itch sparks creation. Key Takeaway Start with your own need. Themes software development innovation personal motivation Mood pragmatic enthusiastic Type technical inspirational When to use this quote - tool building - open‑source projects - startup ideas - hobby coding Key Concepts problem solving user‑centric design Questions to Reflect On - What problem do you want to solve? - How can your solution help others? A Different Perspective Personal focus may limit broader impact. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Developers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/developers/) [Developers Personal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/developers-personal-2712467/) [Good work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-work/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Itch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/itch/) [Personal Itch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal-itch-2712468/) [Programming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/programming/) [Scratching Developers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scratching-developers-2712466/) [Software](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/software/) [Very good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/very-good/) ## Related quotes > [A critical factor in its success was that the X developers were willing to give the sources away for free in accordance with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/a-critical-factor-in-its-success-was-that-the-x-developers-were/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) > [Given enough eyeballs, all bugs are shallow (e.g., given a large enough beta-tester and co-developer base, almost every problem will be characterized quickly and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/given-enough-eyeballs-all-bugs-are-shallow-e-g-given-a-large-enough/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) > [Of course, C proved indispensible to the developers of all its alternatives. Dig down through enough implementation layers under any of the other languages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/of-course-c-proved-indispensible-to-the-developers-of-all-its/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) > [On first blush this looks to be about money, but it is about power. Is power going to go to the information monopolies, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/on-first-blush-this-looks-to-be-about-money-but-it-is-about-power-is/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) > [Treating your users as co-developers is your least-hassle route to rapid code improvement and effective debugging.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/treating-your-users-as-co-developers-is-your-least-hassle-route-to/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) > [Today I am one of the senior technical cadre that makes the Internet work, and a core Linux and open-source developer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/today-i-am-one-of-the-senior-technical-cadre-that-makes-the-internet/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) > [“As simple an act as reading or writing a sentence must be surrounded by perceptory nap and weave . . . an itch, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/as-simple-an-act-as-reading-or-writing-a-sentence-must-be-surrounded/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [“I felt a queasy mixture of relief and horror: when you finally stop an itch and realize it’s because you’ve ripped a hole in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-flynn/i-felt-a-queasy-mixture-of-relief-and-horror-when-you-finally-stop-an/) [Gillian Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-flynn/) > [As I ponder pass I tend to itch my noggin often rockin to a beat to crop my verse until my urn or coffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-dash/as-i-ponder-pass-i-tend-to-itch-my-noggin-often-rockin-to-a-beat-to/) [C-DASH](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-dash/) > [“My fingernail itches. I need to scratch it with my skin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/my-fingernail-itches-i-need-to-scratch-it-with-my-skin/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“I wear my underwear on the outside of my itch.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-wear-my-underwear-on-the-outside-of-my-itch/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [People often want the big dramatic works, not the smaller quieter ones, but I don't worry about how it fits together anymore; I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelia-parker/people-often-want-the-big-dramatic-works-not-the-smaller-quieter-ones/) [Cornelia Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelia-parker/) > [After having played serious drama for so long, I needed to scratch the itch of versatility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-wyle/after-having-played-serious-drama-for-so-long-i-needed-to-scratch-the/) [Noah Wyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-wyle/) > [“...The devil had long ago taken a shine to Tert Card, filled him like a cream horn with itch and irritation. His middle name…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-annie-proulx-author/the-devil-had-long-ago-taken-a-shine-to-tert-card-filled-him-like-a/) [E. Annie Proulx (Author](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-annie-proulx-author/) > [My problems are sort of more on a nuisance level. I can't stand scratchy clothes, I've got to have soft kinds of cotton against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/my-problems-are-sort-of-more-on-a-nuisance-level-i-can-t-stand/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) ## More by Eric S. Raymond > [The Wesnoth devs are good but not exceptionally so, and we're weighed down by a crappy implementation language (C++). Nevertheless our productivity, in terms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/the-wesnoth-devs-are-good-but-not-exceptionally-so-and-we-re-weighed/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) > [“We’re proving not only that we can do better software, but that joy is an asset.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/we-re-proving-not-only-that-we-can-do-better-software-but-that-joy-is/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) > [The workstation-class machines built by Sun and others opened up new worlds for hackers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/the-workstation-class-machines-built-by-sun-and-others-opened-up-new/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) > [It is widely grokked that cats have the hacker nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/it-is-widely-grokked-that-cats-have-the-hacker-nature/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) > [“If (as is generally accepted) over 75% of a typical software project’s life-cycle costs will be in maintenance and debugging and extensions, then the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/if-as-is-generally-accepted-over-75-of-a-typical-software-project-s/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) > [The combination of threads, remote-procedure-call interfaces, and heavyweight object-oriented design is especially dangerous... if you are ever invited onto a project that is supposed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/the-combination-of-threads-remote-procedure-call-interfaces-and/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) > [Lisp is worth learning for the profound enlightenment experience you will have when you finally get it; that experience will make you a better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/lisp-is-worth-learning-for-the-profound-enlightenment-experience-you/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) > [You cannot motivate the best people with money. Money is just a way to keep score. The best people in any field are motivated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/you-cannot-motivate-the-best-people-with-money-money-is-just-a-way-to/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) > [“The Linux world behaves in many respects like a free market or an ecology, a collection of selfish agents attempting to maximize utility which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/the-linux-world-behaves-in-many-respects-like-a-free-market-or-an/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) > [“The reason this is a serious issue is that both the pool of users and the pool of talent available to be recruited into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/the-reason-this-is-a-serious-issue-is-that-both-the-pool-of-users-and/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) > [A security system is only as secure as its secret. Beware of pseudo-secrets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/a-security-system-is-only-as-secure-as-its-secret-beware-of-pseudo/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) > [Today I am one of the senior technical cadre that makes the Internet work, and a core Linux and open-source developer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/today-i-am-one-of-the-senior-technical-cadre-that-makes-the-internet/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) > [“The behavior of retailers when a vendor folds is very revealing. It tells us that they know something the vendors don’t. What they know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/the-behavior-of-retailers-when-a-vendor-folds-is-very-revealing-it/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) > [The easiest programs to use are those which demand the least new learning from the user](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/the-easiest-programs-to-use-are-those-which-demand-the-least-new/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) > [“This is quite unlikely to happen to Linux,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/this-is-quite-unlikely-to-happen-to-linux/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) [Explore all 104 Eric S. Raymond quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) ## More Developers quotes > [By allowing multiple partners to contribute, an open platform can nurture an entire ecosystem of developers and apps. Good products integrate and become great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holmes/by-allowing-multiple-partners-to-contribute-an-open-platform-can/) [Ryan Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holmes/) > [I got married a bit late, I agree. In any other period of history I'd have been dead at that age and they'd have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-duchovny/i-got-married-a-bit-late-i-agree-in-any-other-period-of-history-i-d/) [David Duchovny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-duchovny/) > [People get really attached to it: many of our players have played for four to five years, and our developers range in age from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-baszucki/people-get-really-attached-to-it-many-of-our-players-have-played-for/) [David Baszucki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-baszucki/) > [As a former Apollo astronaut, I think it's safe to say that SpaceX and the other commercial developers embody the 21st century version of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rusty-schweickart/as-a-former-apollo-astronaut-i-think-it-s-safe-to-say-that-spacex-and/) [Rusty Schweickart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rusty-schweickart/) > [In short: developers do not give players enough credit. And maybe even players don't give players enough credit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-short-developers-do-not-give-players-enough-credit-and-maybe-even/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We are building a brain trust of leading app talent. These are very highly regarded developers, and SGN is blessed to have them join…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shervin-pishevar/we-are-building-a-brain-trust-of-leading-app-talent-these-are-very/) [Shervin Pishevar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shervin-pishevar/) > [What is Southern California but an ever-changing dreamscape backdrop for the postmodern ideal? The psychology of the postmodern world is the continual state of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-van-hamersveld/what-is-southern-california-but-an-ever-changing-dreamscape-backdrop/) [John Van Hamersveld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-van-hamersveld/) > [As the quality of our platform gets better, the developers can make more interesting experiences. As the experiences get more interesting, people enjoy them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-baszucki/as-the-quality-of-our-platform-gets-better-the-developers-can-make/) [David Baszucki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-baszucki/) > [The job of the average manager requires a shift in focus every few minutes. The job of the average software developer requires that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-mcconnell/the-job-of-the-average-manager-requires-a-shift-in-focus-every-few/) [Steve McConnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-mcconnell/) > [Small developers can compete on creativity not on scale or staff size… Nintendo is willing to help bring these ideas to life,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/satoru-iwata/small-developers-can-compete-on-creativity-not-on-scale-or-staff-size/) [Satoru Iwata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/satoru-iwata/) > [Sun's role in the grand scheme of development is to work on the runtime environment and the APIs. 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Once I had that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trip-hawkins/i-thought-okay-what-s-going-to-be-my-edge-and-how-am-i-going-to/) [Trip Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trip-hawkins/) [Browse all 213 Developers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/developers/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Every good work of software starts by scratching a developers personal itch.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Eric S. 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