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> It probably takes only a weekend for me to do this Seriously? I know there are "10x" developers out there (I actually have worked alongside one extensively)

> It probably takes only a weekend for me to do this Seriously? I know there are "10x" developers out there (I actually have worked alongside one extensively) but the PDF export of all the forms and IRS eFile integration alone seems like it would take a little longer than a weekend, even for an extremely prolific developer.

gdulli 8y ago
In my opinion what makes a 10x developer are things that are (ironically) not quantitative. It's the wisdom and experience to keep yourself from going down the wrong track. Not progressing down the same track faster or better. For example, the humility, if nothing else, that would prevent you from taking seriously an instinct that you could replicate a huge business so casually. That's more valuable than any technical skill.
- TimTheTinker 8y ago
  I understand what you're saying, but in my experience it's great to have both kinds of people on a team -- those who are extremely prolific in their output and those who focus on wisdom, product decisions, and the wider context. Seriously, working alongside a true "10x" developer is simultaneously humbling and astounding. The sheer quantity of quality output is beyond anything I ever thought possible (speaking as a senior developer myself).
neya 8y ago
Thanks for the advice, I didn't think it would be this complex when I posted the comment. Because, where I live, it's really a breeze to file taxes online. So, I had my mind setup ("How hard could this be?") until I saw another commenter's linked PDF that had about 200+ pages of spec.
- dmoy 8y ago
  > 200 Heh you are off by an order of magnitude there. The linked pdf is only pub 17. There are numerous other publications you'd need to include to actually implement fully correct software for this. For one relatively trivial example, if we see page 255 of pub 17, it describes the tax computation work sheet. But wait, there's more! If you have dividends or capital gains, you need a different worksheet, which is in a different publication, Mario.

gdulli 8y ago

In my opinion what makes a 10x developer are things that are (ironically) not quantitative. It's the wisdom and experience to keep yourself from going down the wrong track. Not progressing down the same track faster or better. For example, the humility, if nothing else, that would prevent you from taking seriously an instinct that you could replicate a huge business so casually. That's more valuable than any technical skill.

TimTheTinker 8y ago
I understand what you're saying, but in my experience it's great to have both kinds of people on a team -- those who are extremely prolific in their output and those who focus on wisdom, product decisions, and the wider context. Seriously, working alongside a true "10x" developer is simultaneously humbling and astounding. The sheer quantity of quality output is beyond anything I ever thought possible (speaking as a senior developer myself).

neya 8y ago

Thanks for the advice, I didn't think it would be this complex when I posted the comment. Because, where I live, it's really a breeze to file taxes online. So, I had my mind setup ("How hard could this be?") until I saw another commenter's linked PDF that had about 200+ pages of spec.

dmoy 8y ago
> 200 Heh you are off by an order of magnitude there. The linked pdf is only pub 17. There are numerous other publications you'd need to include to actually implement fully correct software for this. For one relatively trivial example, if we see page 255 of pub 17, it describes the tax computation work sheet. But wait, there's more! If you have dividends or capital gains, you need a different worksheet, which is in a different publication, Mario.