Dark Side of the Moon

There is no dark side of the moon really. Matter of fact it's all dark. -- Pink Floyd

I'm a moon. That is, in the software development community I don't give off any light. I absorb the light from the "suns", the leaders and innovators:

Alan Cooper, Alan Shalloway, Alistair Cockburn, Andy Hunt, Dave Thomas, Gerald Weinberg, James Shore, Kent Beck, Martin Fowler, Robert C. Martin, Robert L. Glass, Scott Bain, Scott W. Ambler, Steve McConnell, Tom DeMarco, Ward Cunningham

There are many others but these are the ones that have had a profound affect on me. My thinking and knowledge have grown immensely due to their contributions. I'm glad I found them.

Can I be someone who contributes to the development community? Someone who has a positive affect on others?

Do I have the passion? It's building. I'm pushing for technical excellence at work. My gut aches when it's lacking.

Do I have a desire to learn? I'm constantly reading books, blogs and articles and my reading list is ever-growing. I'm attending seminars and participating in user groups. I'm testing my ideas and theories in code at home.

Can I lead? I've initiated OO and Agile discussions with coworkers and I've started a coding dojo.

So maybe I'm sparking just a bit?