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We have a saying on the river: "Rig to flip, dress to swim." The idea is that you assume you will flip in the first big drop and your boat will be upside down

by 18pfsmt 15y ago

We have a saying on the river: "Rig to flip, dress to swim." The idea is that you assume you will flip in the first big drop and your boat will be upside down. So, you lash everything down sufficiently (use secure best practices), wear a flip-line to use to right the boat (have a disaster recovery path), and carry an extra oar (make backups). As I learn to write web apps I find the required mentalities quite similar. However, I've noticed this mentality does not lend itself well to maintaining good relationships with less serious people. It's certainly a problem I'm currently struggling with (pretty much the classic "buzz killington"). EDIT: Spelled out analogies.

pasbesoin 15y ago
However, I've noticed this mentality does not lend itself well to maintaining good relationships with less serious people. How do you deal with these people, over the longer term? To extend your analogy, do you (we, to generalize) let them drown? I've "been nice" and "rescued" such people, only to have them bite me in the ass further down the road. It seems to be fundamentally contrary to my nature and instinctive reactions, but when I reflect upon these circumstances from a distance, the rational choice seems to be to let them die off (metaphorically speaking, in the work/business environment) -- the sooner, the better. Only, they are the better schmoozers. And in many environments I've been in, the schmoozing seems to win over competence. (There's always someone available to fix their mistakes.) For myself, I think -- for reasons I won't delve into here -- I've failed to pro-actively leave such environments. Back to your analogy: Perhaps I need to be on the class 4 and class 5 rapids, in part because the morons generally don't venture there. More challenge, yet -- perhaps counter-intuitively -- for this reason, less aggravation.

by 18pfsmt 15y ago

pasbesoin 15y ago

However, I've noticed this mentality does not lend itself well to maintaining good relationships with less serious people. How do you deal with these people, over the longer term? To extend your analogy, do you (we, to generalize) let them drown? I've "been nice" and "rescued" such people, only to have them bite me in the ass further down the road. It seems to be fundamentally contrary to my nature and instinctive reactions, but when I reflect upon these circumstances from a distance, the rational choice seems to be to let them die off (metaphorically speaking, in the work/business environment) -- the sooner, the better. Only, they are the better schmoozers. And in many environments I've been in, the schmoozing seems to win over competence. (There's always someone available to fix their mistakes.) For myself, I think -- for reasons I won't delve into here -- I've failed to pro-actively leave such environments. Back to your analogy: Perhaps I need to be on the class 4 and class 5 rapids, in part because the morons generally don't venture there. More challenge, yet -- perhaps counter-intuitively -- for this reason, less aggravation.