5 ms·

Why? Inadequately “technical”?

jkingsbery 4y ago
I think there are lots of reasons why. One possible reason: no one whose job it is to write Python scripts was ever promoted for making an Excel spreadsheet when that is the simpler and more practical approach. And no manager of people who write Python scripts is going to be able to use that Excel spreadsheet to sell "I need more responsibility and head count." People tend to follow incentives, rather than focusing on making wise decisions.
- butUhmErm 4y ago
  Excel has a history of forced format updates, breaking incompatibility. I know people who banned it because they got tired of marching to MSs upgrade beat. Python 2 to 3 upgrade aside, can’t really say the same about the language. There are a number of good arguments out there that might violate an engineers perception, which one might call a cognitive data model built through training and experience. There is no theory that makes any given engineering path “wiser” than others. Just engineers chasing incentives to be engineers.
  - oivey 4y ago
    Libraries introduce breaking changes, too. I’ve been bit by silent default changes in Pandas, for example. To me that’s kind of striking because I also wouldn’t consider myself a major user of the library.
    - butUhmErm 4y ago
- TimTheTinker 4y ago
  > People tend to follow incentives, rather than focusing on making wise decisions. This is the key issue. Solving it isn't easy -- it requires people who are wise, and wisdom is a scarce commodity.
  - wtetzner 4y ago
    Even wise people likely follow the incentives. What is wise about doing something that your employer doesn’t reward in exchange for doing something that they will reward?
    - TimTheTinker 4y ago
      It's wise to do what's morally right, regardless of the consequences.
      - wtetzner 4y ago
        Sure, but I guess my point is that it's not clear that going against the wishes of your employer is what's morally right.
marcosdumay 4y ago
- "You just talked to them and concluded this? What certainty you can have on this conclusion, and how can we trust you just didn't want it to be true from the start?" A few slides showing the data, a boring 10 minutes about methodology, and finally the conclusion brings an air of reliability that you can't replicate for knowledge instead of data.
strikelaserclaw 4y ago
Our field is filled with people who want to use the most technical approach possible to solve a non issue, their paychecks probably depend on it.

I think there are lots of reasons why. One possible reason: no one whose job it is to write Python scripts was ever promoted for making an Excel spreadsheet when that is the simpler and more practical approach. And no manager of people who write Python scripts is going to be able to use that Excel spreadsheet to sell "I need more responsibility and head count." People tend to follow incentives, rather than focusing on making wise decisions.

butUhmErm 4y ago
Excel has a history of forced format updates, breaking incompatibility. I know people who banned it because they got tired of marching to MSs upgrade beat. Python 2 to 3 upgrade aside, can’t really say the same about the language. There are a number of good arguments out there that might violate an engineers perception, which one might call a cognitive data model built through training and experience. There is no theory that makes any given engineering path “wiser” than others. Just engineers chasing incentives to be engineers.
- oivey 4y ago
  Libraries introduce breaking changes, too. I’ve been bit by silent default changes in Pandas, for example. To me that’s kind of striking because I also wouldn’t consider myself a major user of the library.
  - butUhmErm 4y ago
TimTheTinker 4y ago
> People tend to follow incentives, rather than focusing on making wise decisions. This is the key issue. Solving it isn't easy -- it requires people who are wise, and wisdom is a scarce commodity.
- wtetzner 4y ago
  Even wise people likely follow the incentives. What is wise about doing something that your employer doesn’t reward in exchange for doing something that they will reward?
  - TimTheTinker 4y ago
    It's wise to do what's morally right, regardless of the consequences.
    - wtetzner 4y ago
      Sure, but I guess my point is that it's not clear that going against the wishes of your employer is what's morally right.

marcosdumay 4y ago

- "You just talked to them and concluded this? What certainty you can have on this conclusion, and how can we trust you just didn't want it to be true from the start?" A few slides showing the data, a boring 10 minutes about methodology, and finally the conclusion brings an air of reliability that you can't replicate for knowledge instead of data.

strikelaserclaw 4y ago

Our field is filled with people who want to use the most technical approach possible to solve a non issue, their paychecks probably depend on it.