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Elon said it well in an interview regarding Starship development, “most common problem in engineering is optimizing something that shouldn’t have been built in

by hallqv 6y ago

Elon said it well in an interview regarding Starship development, “most common problem in engineering is optimizing something that shouldn’t have been built in the first place”, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIQ36Kt7UVg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIQ36Kt7UVg Broaden your view. You are not put on earth to write great code, but to solve real world problems. Software development is a means to an end, not the end itself.

valand 6y ago
Well, Elon and SpaceX has the luxury of having a total control of the product's technical requirement. Most probably this is because Elon, being the CEO, has enough technical prowess to oversee both the real-world requirement and technical aspect of the product. This allows the company to streamline the practical/from-real-world requirement and the technical specification, therefore eliminating "things that shouldn't have been built in the first place". This is luxurious because other tech company either does not have and/or does not realize it must procure. One of my personal daydream is to be in a period where this streamlined real-world requirement and technical specification is common, not a luxury.
- hallqv 6y ago
  Excuses. What organization your work for is a choice you've made. You need to make sure you work for a well functioning one, few things are more important. If you can't get hired by one, start one yourself.
  - valand 6y ago
    Not excuses. I'm pointing out that to achieve the streamlined real-world-tech-spec, you need that kind of person. My wish is not only for my organization but for everybody. The world might be a better place if things are cheaper to maintain.
    - hallqv 6y ago
      You don't need to be Elon Musk to think hard about if you are optimizing for solving real world problems or something else. It's a habit of mind and the courage to change your circustances if you find yourself in a situation where it's not possible do things the right way (e.g. in a dysfunctional organization).
tome 6y ago
Relevant similar quotations: https://quoteinvestigator.com/2017/02/09/efficient/ https://quoteinvestigator.com/2017/02/09/efficient/
afarrell 6y ago
Sometimes though, the engineering exists to create art. Because we are all human and we all in our own way yearn to answer the question "What is beauty?" Including the folks at Valve.

by hallqv 6y ago

valand 6y ago

Well, Elon and SpaceX has the luxury of having a total control of the product's technical requirement. Most probably this is because Elon, being the CEO, has enough technical prowess to oversee both the real-world requirement and technical aspect of the product. This allows the company to streamline the practical/from-real-world requirement and the technical specification, therefore eliminating "things that shouldn't have been built in the first place". This is luxurious because other tech company either does not have and/or does not realize it must procure. One of my personal daydream is to be in a period where this streamlined real-world requirement and technical specification is common, not a luxury.

hallqv 6y ago
Excuses. What organization your work for is a choice you've made. You need to make sure you work for a well functioning one, few things are more important. If you can't get hired by one, start one yourself.
- valand 6y ago
  Not excuses. I'm pointing out that to achieve the streamlined real-world-tech-spec, you need that kind of person. My wish is not only for my organization but for everybody. The world might be a better place if things are cheaper to maintain.
  - hallqv 6y ago
    You don't need to be Elon Musk to think hard about if you are optimizing for solving real world problems or something else. It's a habit of mind and the courage to change your circustances if you find yourself in a situation where it's not possible do things the right way (e.g. in a dysfunctional organization).

tome 6y ago

Relevant similar quotations: https://quoteinvestigator.com/2017/02/09/efficient/ https://quoteinvestigator.com/2017/02/09/efficient/

afarrell 6y ago

Sometimes though, the engineering exists to create art. Because we are all human and we all in our own way yearn to answer the question "What is beauty?" Including the folks at Valve.