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From: Rich Maggio <maggior@world2u.com>
Subject: Re: Should I learn C or Pascal?
Date: 1996/07/21
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> That's like saying that since most Electronic Engineers use
> ICs, it's not necessary to learn the fundamentals of resisters,
> capaciters, and transisters.

Amen!

> Programmers who do not assembly language are dangerous,
> because they do not fundamentally understand what the
> compiler is generating. They believe in "The Myth of the
> Optimizing Compiler", that "compilers are so good nowadays
> that you don't have to worry about writing efficient code.
> If you do have to worry, then get a better compiler."

An additional thought along these lines.  A programmer should be VERY familiar with the inner workings of the 
OS that they are working with.  When working in a multitasking environment, it is important for the programmer 
(software engineer) to understand just how the multitasking is achieved in the OS.  With this understanding, 
efficient and bug free code can be written.  Programmers that see multitasking as "some magic thing that just 
happens" are pretty dangerous.  I have seen numerous bugs that can be explained understood very easily with an 
understanding of what the OS is really doing under the hood.

Rich Maggio