 致中国读者
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去年，我荣幸地得知，清华大学出版社将要引进出版拙著的一个中译本系列。作为作者，知道自己的作品将要结识成千上万的中国软件工程师、经理、测试员、咨询师以及其他相信技术能给我们带来更加美好的新世界的人们，我感到非常的惊喜。
在我早期的职业生涯中，我编写了大量计算机和软件方面的图书；但是，随着经验的增长，我发现如果我们在技术应用和构建之时对于其人文方面没有给予足够重视，技术就变得毫无价值－－甚至是危险的了。于是，我决定在我的作品中加入人文领域的内容，并希望能够给读者带来这方面的思考和重视。
在这之后我出版的第一本书是《程序开发心理》（The Psychology of Computer Programming）。这是一本研究软件开发、测试和维护中的关于人的过程。该书现在已经是银版了（自第一次出版至今已经有25年），这充分说明了人们对于理解其工作中人文部分的渴求。很高兴这本《程序开发心理》也将成为这一中译本系列的其中一本。
清华大学出版社引进翻译的我的这系列作品，让我有机会将这些选本看作一个整体来思考，并且发现了其中的一些相通的主题。从我有记忆开始，我就对"人们如何思考"产生了浓厚的兴趣；当我还是一个小男孩时，世界上仅有的计算机常常被人称为"巨型大?quot;。我当时就想，如果我搞清楚了这些巨型大脑的"思想"，我或许就可以更深入地了解人们是如何思考的。这就是我为什么一开始就做一个计算机程序员，而后又与计算机打了将近50年的交道；我学到了许多关于人们思考的知识，但是目前所知的还远远不够。
我的对于思考的兴趣在这些书中都有体现，而在以下三本中尤其清楚：即《系统化思维导论》（An Introduction to General System Thinking，这本书也已经是银版了）；它的姊妹篇《系统设计的一般原理》（General Principles of Systems Design，这本书是与我的妻子Dani合著的，她是一名人类学者）；还有一本就是《你的灯亮着吗？--如何找到问题的真正所在》（Are Your Lights On? : How to Figure Out What the Problem Really Is，这本书是与Don Gause合著的）。我对思考的兴趣很自然地延伸到如何帮助他人去清楚思考的方法上，于是我又写作了这个系列中的其他三本书：《咨询的奥秘--成功提出和获得建议的指南》（The Secrets of Consulting : A Guide to Giving and Getting Advice Successfully）；《咨询的奥秘--咨询师的百宝箱》（More Secrets of Consulting: The Consultant's Tool Kit）；《走查、审查与技术复审手册》（The Handbook of Walkthroughs, Inspections, and Technical Reviews : Evaluating Programs, Projects, and Products，这本书已经是第3版了）。
随着年龄的增长，我逐渐认识到清晰的思维并不是获取技术成功的充分条件，就算是思维最清楚的人也还需要一些道德和情感方面的领导才能。因此我又写了《成为技术领导者--解决问题的有机方法》（Becoming a Technical Leader: An Organic Problem-Solving Approach）。随后我又出版了四卷《质量软件管理》（Quality Software Management），其内容涵盖了系统思维、优先度量、协调行动和变更预期等，所有这些都是技术项目取得成功的关键。
在与各位译者的合作中，通过他们不同的文化视角和层面来审视我的作品，我的思维和写作都获得了升华。我最大的希望就是这些译著同样也能够帮助你们--我的读者朋友--在你的项目、甚至是整个人生中获取更大的成功。最后，感谢你们的阅读。
Gerald M. Weinberg
October 11, 2002
英文原信内容
Preface to the Chinese Editions of Weinberg's Series Last year, I was honored to learn that Tsinghua University Press intended to publish a series of my books in Chinese translations. As an author, I'm thrilled to know that my work will now be within reach of thousands more software engineers, managers, testers, consultants, and other people concerned with using technology to build a new and better world.
Early in my career, I wrote numerous highly technical books on computers and software, but as I gained experience, I learned that technology is worthless - even dangerous - if we don't pay attention to the human aspects of both its use and its construction. I decided to add the human dimension to my work, and bring that dimension to the attention of my readers.
After making that decision, the first book I published was The Psychology of Computer Programming, a study of the human processes that enter into the development, testing, and maintenance of software. That book is now in its Silver Anniversary Edition (more than 25 years in print), testifying to the desire of people to understand that human dimension to their work. I was very pleased to learn that The Psychology of Computer Programming will be one of the books in this series of Chinese translations.
Having my books translated gives me an opportunity to reflect on them as a collection, and to perceive what themes they have in common. As long as I can recall, I was interested in how people think, and when I was a young boy, the few computers in the world were often referred to as "giant brains." I thought that I might learn more about how people think by studying how these giant brains "thought." That's how I first became a computer programmer, and after almost 50 years of working with computers, I've learned a lot about how people think - but I still have far more to learn than I already know.
My interest in thinking shows in all of these books, but is especially clear in An Introduction to General System Thinking (now also in a Silver Anniversary edition); in its companion volume, General Principles of Systems Design (written with my wife, Dani, who is an anthropologist); and in Are Your Lights On? : How to Figure Out What the Problem Really Is (written with Don Gause). My interest naturally extended to methods of helping other people to think more clearly, which led me to write three other books in the series - The Secrets of Consulting : A Guide to Giving and Getting Advice Successfully; More Secrets of Consulting: The Consultant's Tool Kit; and the Handbook of Walkthroughs, Inspections, and Technical Reviews: Evaluating Programs, Projects, and Products (which is now in its third edition).
But as I grew older, I learned that clear thinking is not the only requirement for success in technology. Even the clearest thinkers require moral and emotional leadership, so I wrote Becoming a Technical Leader: An Organic Problem-Solving Approach, followed by my series of four Quality Software Management volumes. This series covers Systems Thinking, First-Order Measurement, Congruent Action, and Anticipating Change - all of which are essential for success in technical projects.
I have already begun to improve my own thinking and writing by working with the translators and seeing my work through different cultural eyes and brains. My fondest hope is that these translations will also help you, the reader, become more successful in your projects - and in your entire life. Thank you for reading them.
- Gerald M. Weinberg
11 October 2002
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