4 ms·

@bartread That's an awfully high and mighty opinion, don't you think? Sounds like annoyance over the fact that things that work reliably aren't "cool" enough.

bartread 9y ago
It's certainly annoyance - and a good amount of it - but cool doesn't come into it. What I'm really railing against is people who talk a good game but seem to be incapable of delivering anything but bad software (regardless of whether what it does is supposed to be "cool", whatever that might mean when taken in context), and includes unreliable. I have to admit that it may not be entirely they're fault: organisational culture shapes you whether you want it to or not. So perhaps what I'm really railing against is a culture of software development that tends to exist in larger organisations. Clearly this isn't universal though - just common. There are notable examples where very large organisations have been able to avoid these problems, at least for a while, even at scale: Google, BBC, parts of Microsoft (I can personally attest to this one), facebook (although hearing from a friend t sounds like they're getting sucked into it). I do find it frustrating that guys like this style themselves as thought-leaders - and often succeed - whilst unfailingly focussing on the wrong points, and making themselves a complete pain in the ass to everyone they work with. The other point is that as I've got older it's become starkly obvious to me that I only have so much time left. Obviously that's always been true but when I was younger I suppose I just didn't take it that seriously, and that's sort of a gentle regret. And that's really for everyone: you don't have all the time in the world so if there's something you want to do then get on and do it - sometimes you have to do things just to make ends meet but, as far as is possible, don't subject yourself to anyone who's going to hinder you on that journey.
- louithethrid 9y ago
  Thanks for those words.
- zebraflask 9y ago
  With that extra context, I agree. It can be quite frustrating to work with people who don't perform, or who don't understand where to focus their work.
louithethrid 9y ago
if you make a game, you make a playable proto-type first. And that proto-type must be fun. Period. Can be horri-bad in every other aspect. Can be even bad regarding the architecture years after you went to market. Notch, we are still looking at you here! And if the game is fun- it will still sell. If Tech would attack that core-value, then changes are very much in order - but building the perfect system, before you know the game you do it for is fun- that is creating blueprintporn, with no value for the players.

bartread 9y ago

It's certainly annoyance - and a good amount of it - but cool doesn't come into it. What I'm really railing against is people who talk a good game but seem to be incapable of delivering anything but bad software (regardless of whether what it does is supposed to be "cool", whatever that might mean when taken in context), and includes unreliable. I have to admit that it may not be entirely they're fault: organisational culture shapes you whether you want it to or not. So perhaps what I'm really railing against is a culture of software development that tends to exist in larger organisations. Clearly this isn't universal though - just common. There are notable examples where very large organisations have been able to avoid these problems, at least for a while, even at scale: Google, BBC, parts of Microsoft (I can personally attest to this one), facebook (although hearing from a friend t sounds like they're getting sucked into it). I do find it frustrating that guys like this style themselves as thought-leaders - and often succeed - whilst unfailingly focussing on the wrong points, and making themselves a complete pain in the ass to everyone they work with. The other point is that as I've got older it's become starkly obvious to me that I only have so much time left. Obviously that's always been true but when I was younger I suppose I just didn't take it that seriously, and that's sort of a gentle regret. And that's really for everyone: you don't have all the time in the world so if there's something you want to do then get on and do it - sometimes you have to do things just to make ends meet but, as far as is possible, don't subject yourself to anyone who's going to hinder you on that journey.

louithethrid 9y ago
Thanks for those words.
zebraflask 9y ago
With that extra context, I agree. It can be quite frustrating to work with people who don't perform, or who don't understand where to focus their work.

louithethrid 9y ago

if you make a game, you make a playable proto-type first. And that proto-type must be fun. Period. Can be horri-bad in every other aspect. Can be even bad regarding the architecture years after you went to market. Notch, we are still looking at you here! And if the game is fun- it will still sell. If Tech would attack that core-value, then changes are very much in order - but building the perfect system, before you know the game you do it for is fun- that is creating blueprintporn, with no value for the players.