在俄勒冈州大学读本科期间，Kent Beck就开始研究起模式。然而在他最终拿到计算机学位之前，他却是在计算机和音乐中交替学习。似乎Java大师都能够有这样的能耐，另一Java大牛Rod Johnson同样也拥有音乐学的博士学位。
Kent Beck一直倡导软件开发的模式定义。早在1993年，他就和Grady Booch（UML之父）发起了一个团队进行这个方面的研 究。虽然著有了《Smalltalk Best Practice Patterns》一书，但这可能并不是Kent Beck最大的贡献。他于1996 年在DaimlerChrysler启动的关于软件开发的项目，才真正地影响后来的软件开发。这次的杰作就是XP（极限编程）的方法学。
和软件开发大师Martin Fowler合著的《Planning Extreme Programming》可谓是关于XP的奠基之作。从 此，一系列的作品如《Test Driven Development: By Example》， 《Extreme Programming Explained: Embrace Change》让更多的人领略到了极限编程的精髓，也逐步导致了极限 编程的流行。
Kent Beck的贡献远不仅如此。对于众多的Java程序员来说，他和Erich Gamma共同打造的JUnit，意义更加重大。也许正式这个简单而又强大的工具，让众多的程序员更加认可和信赖极限编程，从而引起了Java敏捷开发的狂潮吧。
my understanding, a letter sent to my teammates -
Hi Guys,
If you are too busy to read the comparatively longer article <scrum from trench> i sent days ago you can have a look at the attached presentation by Przemysław Bielicki. It provides an overview of how Scrum is working as an agile software development process. Though the workspace or enviornment here in the coming weeks may not meet the standards, we'd better try as much as we can.
The presentation doesn't cover the philosophy under those practices, thus I strongly recommend a book named <Extreme Programming Explained: Embrace Change> by Kent Beck who is the father of XP. Base on our past experience we know in most cases we should not go extremely:) however after you reading the splendid book you would feel the value/philosophy determines! I can not help to say this book is "operate from a strategically advantageous position".
values -
communication
simplicity
feedback
courage
respect
principles -
humanity
Economics
Mutual Benefit
Self-Similarity
etc...
practices -
sit together
whole team
informative workspace
Energized Work
Weekly Cycle
Continuous Integration
pair programming
Test-First Programming
Incremental Design
ect...
Value --> principles --> practices
Values determine the principles and practices are the reflections of principles, both Scrum and XP are agile processes and the values behind are quite the same as listed above. Read those values carefully and carefully you will nod your head
Value even can lead a country to a disaster , you can easily remember "culture revolution" in the past century, what a ridiculous revolution and what the power of value!