I find rules quite exceptional. I also find exceptions to rules quite breakneck ;)

Programmers make mistakes; of course, they're only human (at least, humanly speaking.) But the true test of a good programmer lies not on how he or she can code the fastest, cleanest, and most appealing code, but rather on his/her understanding of what s/he really wants to do, and how to do it using whatever conceptual apparatus available.

I remember the quote from Brooks, borrowed from Shakespeare:

"I can summon spirits from the vasty deep."

"Well, so can I, and so can any man; but will they come for you when you do call for them?"