These are great: John Romero on Programming principles from id software

1. Just do it (and do it well)
2. Keep your code always runnable
3. Keep it simple
4. Invest time in building great tools
5. Test your code thoroughly
6. Fix bugs as soon as possible
7. Use a superior development system
8. Write code for this version of the product
9. Use good component abstractions
10. Seek feedback from peers while coding
11. Give coders creative freedom