The Evolution of a Programmer

 High School/Jr.High
 ===================
        10 PRINT "HELLO WORLD"
        20 END

 First year in College
 =====================
         program Hello(input, output)
          begin
             writeln('Hello World')
          end.

 Senior year in College
 ======================
         (defun hello
          (print
           (cons 'Hello (list 'World))))

 New professional
 ================
         #include 
        void main(void)
         {
          char *message[] = {"Hello ", "World"};
           int i;

           for(i = 0; i < 2; ++i)
             printf("%s", message[i]);
           printf("\n");
        }

 Seasoned professional
 =====================
        #include 
        #include 
         class string
        {
         private:
          int size;
           char *ptr;
         public:
           string() : size(0), ptr(new char('\0')) {}
           string(const string &s) : size(s.size)
          {
           ptr = new char[size + 1];
           strcpy(ptr, s.ptr);
           }
           ~string()
          {
           delete [] ptr;
           }
           friend ostream &operator <<(ostream &, const string &);
           string &operator=(const char *);
          };
         ostream &operator<<(ostream &stream, const string &s)
         {
           return(stream << s.ptr);
         }
         string &string::operator=(const char *chrs)
         {
          if (this != &chrs)
           {
            delete [] ptr;
          size = strlen(chrs);
          ptr = new char[size + 1];
             strcpy(ptr, chrs);
          }
           return(*this);
        }
         int main()
         {
           string str;
           str = "Hello World";
           cout << str << endl;
           return(0);
         }

 Apprentice Hacker
 ===================
 #!/usr/local/bin/perl
 $msg="Hello, world.\n";
 if ($#ARGV >= 0) {
   while(defined($arg=shift(@ARGV))) {
     $outfilename = $arg;
     open(FILE, ">" . $outfilename) || die "Can't write $arg: $!\n";
     print (FILE $msg);
     close(FILE) || die "Can't close $arg: $!\n";
   }
 } else {
   print ($msg);
 }
 1;

 Experienced Hacker
 ===================
 #include 
 #define S "Hello, World\n"
 main(){exit(printf(S) == strlen(S) ? 0 : 1);}

 Seasoned Hacker
 ===================
 % cc -o a.out ~/src/misc/hw/hw.c
 % a.out

 Guru Hacker
 ===================
 % cat
 Hello, world.
 ^D

 New Manager
 ===================
 10 PRINT "HELLO WORLD"
 20 END

 Middle Manager
 ===================
 mail -s "Hello, world." bob@b12
 Bob, could you please write me a program that prints "Hello,
world."?
 I need it by tomorrow.
 ^D

 Senior Manager
 ===================
 % zmail jim
 I need a "Hello, world." program by this afternoon.

 Chief Executive
 ===================
 % letter
 letter: Command not found.
 % mail
 To: ^X ^F ^C
 % help mail
 help: Command not found.
 % damn!
 !: Event unrecognized
 % logout