4 ms·

Fun read, but this is needlessly cynical and overwrought. Engineers compartmentalize because it's impossible to hold the entire system in your head. Companies p

by dyeje 6y ago

Fun read, but this is needlessly cynical and overwrought. Engineers compartmentalize because it's impossible to hold the entire system in your head. Companies parallelized the tracks because people finally figured out the best engineers do not always make good managers. Is there a better system? Probably. Is this a grand conspiracy? No.

coffeemug 6y ago
It isn't a conspiracy, it's an emergent system.
- shthrow 6y ago
  "Why did all major software companies settle on parallel career tracks? To keep engineering managers from developing loyalty to engineers." I think your tone here implies intent
  - coffeemug 6y ago
    You're right. When I talk about complex systems I generally mean "this behavior emerged because of pressure to optimize for property X", but it's awkward to keep repeating that so I anthropomorphize them for simplicity. Should clarify that at some point.
    - edouard-harris 6y ago
      This is a great clarification. I'd even argue that systems and organizations can have an independent intent, though we don't often use the word in that context.
      - a1369209993 6y ago
        > I'd even argue that systems and organizations can have an independent intent You're not the only one: http://slatestarcodex.com/2014/07/30/meditations-on-moloch/ http://slatestarcodex.com/2014/07/30/meditations-on-moloch/ (If section I seems a bit slow - it's busy establishing that there is a problem in the first place - skip to section II.)
- agumonkey 6y ago
  I see a lot of people, myself included, who dreaded the way company works. I'm outside the field now, and having seen my own failures to create software / group / work. I tend to believe that I was very much partially blind. I also see a lot of younger people speaking like me, disgust of the system, laudable desires to make great work for less, but failing to make a dent (at best) or going like me, spinning in ideals. All this to ask, can we adjust the emergent system just to improve it ? can we describe better what are the reasons behind the links between different groups so new generations don't have to question them ?

by dyeje 6y ago

coffeemug 6y ago

It isn't a conspiracy, it's an emergent system.

shthrow 6y ago
"Why did all major software companies settle on parallel career tracks? To keep engineering managers from developing loyalty to engineers." I think your tone here implies intent
- coffeemug 6y ago
  You're right. When I talk about complex systems I generally mean "this behavior emerged because of pressure to optimize for property X", but it's awkward to keep repeating that so I anthropomorphize them for simplicity. Should clarify that at some point.
  - edouard-harris 6y ago
    This is a great clarification. I'd even argue that systems and organizations can have an independent intent, though we don't often use the word in that context.
    - a1369209993 6y ago
      > I'd even argue that systems and organizations can have an independent intent You're not the only one: http://slatestarcodex.com/2014/07/30/meditations-on-moloch/ http://slatestarcodex.com/2014/07/30/meditations-on-moloch/ (If section I seems a bit slow - it's busy establishing that there is a problem in the first place - skip to section II.)
agumonkey 6y ago
I see a lot of people, myself included, who dreaded the way company works. I'm outside the field now, and having seen my own failures to create software / group / work. I tend to believe that I was very much partially blind. I also see a lot of younger people speaking like me, disgust of the system, laudable desires to make great work for less, but failing to make a dent (at best) or going like me, spinning in ideals. All this to ask, can we adjust the emergent system just to improve it ? can we describe better what are the reasons behind the links between different groups so new generations don't have to question them ?