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>I can't help but wondering how many people today on HN could make such a decision, especially those who insist to "move fast and break things" This gets into

by starky 6y ago

>I can't help but wondering how many people today on HN could make such a decision, especially those who insist to "move fast and break things" This gets into the argument about whether people who write software should be called engineers. There is good reason why nearly every engineering body out there has something along the lines of "Hold paramount their duty to public welfare" as the first item in the code of conduct. "Move fast and break things" is pretty much incompatible with engineering.

luxuryballs 6y ago
I think it’s kinda like how once digital photography became good enough you didn’t have to worry about wasting film. You can take 20 pics and later pick the best one, rather than spending 20 minutes trying to get the perfect shot. With software how it is today the “outer software” engineering has created a little virtual realm where things can go haywire and fail but it’s in a mostly padded room. And of course it’s all running within very well regulated and stable hardware. Maybe coding itself isn’t engineering anymore than welding or running cables is but both computer and software engineering was required for coding and to make the code do anything significant it takes some engineering, or you could just start welding shit together!
tester34 6y ago
I disagree >There is good reason why nearly every engineering body out there has something along the lines of "Hold paramount their duty to public welfare" as the first item in the code of conduct. "Move fast and break things" is pretty much incompatible with engineering. Those aren't mutually excluisive. Move fast and break things when it comes to crud apps is totally different thing. You can also use "move fast and break things" in order to achieve "Hold paramount their duty to public welfare" Move fast and... does not imply unsafe.
- slingnow 6y ago
  Move fast and break things _absolutely_ implies unsafe. It doesn't guarantee unsafe, but it most definitely implies it. The word "break" is in the phrase...

by starky 6y ago

luxuryballs 6y ago

I think it’s kinda like how once digital photography became good enough you didn’t have to worry about wasting film. You can take 20 pics and later pick the best one, rather than spending 20 minutes trying to get the perfect shot. With software how it is today the “outer software” engineering has created a little virtual realm where things can go haywire and fail but it’s in a mostly padded room. And of course it’s all running within very well regulated and stable hardware. Maybe coding itself isn’t engineering anymore than welding or running cables is but both computer and software engineering was required for coding and to make the code do anything significant it takes some engineering, or you could just start welding shit together!

tester34 6y ago

I disagree >There is good reason why nearly every engineering body out there has something along the lines of "Hold paramount their duty to public welfare" as the first item in the code of conduct. "Move fast and break things" is pretty much incompatible with engineering. Those aren't mutually excluisive. Move fast and break things when it comes to crud apps is totally different thing. You can also use "move fast and break things" in order to achieve "Hold paramount their duty to public welfare" Move fast and... does not imply unsafe.

slingnow 6y ago
Move fast and break things _absolutely_ implies unsafe. It doesn't guarantee unsafe, but it most definitely implies it. The word "break" is in the phrase...