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I die a little inside every time I lose an argument over whether or not we should spend time optimizing our software (I lose that argument every time I have it)

I die a little inside every time I lose an argument over whether or not we should spend time optimizing our software (I lose that argument every time I have it).

deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
taeric 4y ago
Pro tip, as soon as you are arguing over the code, you've already lost. Most places are so far behind on priority tasks, that to slow down and discuss/debate the priority of tasks is likely to just cause more issues. It isn't that you are even wrong. You almost certainly aren't. But nobody will wait for things to get better. If you stall out on features while prioritizing, you will lose folks. Unfortunately, I don't have a legit answer/solution. My view is it is a lot like keeping a clean kitchen. That is table stakes and assumed. Such that folks in a kitchen have to create a somewhat self cleaning flow of things. Similarly, you have to constantly optimize and clean up the code as you go. Double down on what you have, and constantly work to improve it. Not to replace it.
- dinosaurdynasty 4y ago
  Or just jump ship and leave someone else to clean up the mess in 3 years.
zmmmmm 4y ago
"premature optimization is the root of all evils" has a lot to answer for
- pbourke 4y ago
  That doesn’t mean “never optimize”
  - commandlinefan 4y ago
    Everybody who quotes it thinks it does.
- kaba0 4y ago
  Whenever you hear that, add the whole quote: “ We should forget about small efficiencies, say about 97% of the time: premature optimization is the root of all evil. Yet we should not pass up our opportunities in that critical 3%”
- moring 4y ago
  The full quote is: "We should forget about small efficiencies, say about 97% of the time: premature optimization is the root of all evil. Yet we should not pass up our opportunities in that critical 3%." It doesn't mean "don't optimize" at all. It means: optimize those parts that actually make the application slow. I can tell from experience that intuition has repeatedly failed me about which parts those are. Measure, don't guess, before you optimize.

I die a little inside every time I lose an argument over whether or not we should spend time optimizing our software (I lose that argument every time I have it).

deleted 4y ago

[deleted]

taeric 4y ago

Pro tip, as soon as you are arguing over the code, you've already lost. Most places are so far behind on priority tasks, that to slow down and discuss/debate the priority of tasks is likely to just cause more issues. It isn't that you are even wrong. You almost certainly aren't. But nobody will wait for things to get better. If you stall out on features while prioritizing, you will lose folks. Unfortunately, I don't have a legit answer/solution. My view is it is a lot like keeping a clean kitchen. That is table stakes and assumed. Such that folks in a kitchen have to create a somewhat self cleaning flow of things. Similarly, you have to constantly optimize and clean up the code as you go. Double down on what you have, and constantly work to improve it. Not to replace it.

dinosaurdynasty 4y ago
Or just jump ship and leave someone else to clean up the mess in 3 years.

zmmmmm 4y ago

"premature optimization is the root of all evils" has a lot to answer for

pbourke 4y ago
That doesn’t mean “never optimize”
- commandlinefan 4y ago
  Everybody who quotes it thinks it does.
kaba0 4y ago
Whenever you hear that, add the whole quote: “ We should forget about small efficiencies, say about 97% of the time: premature optimization is the root of all evil. Yet we should not pass up our opportunities in that critical 3%”
moring 4y ago
The full quote is: "We should forget about small efficiencies, say about 97% of the time: premature optimization is the root of all evil. Yet we should not pass up our opportunities in that critical 3%." It doesn't mean "don't optimize" at all. It means: optimize those parts that actually make the application slow. I can tell from experience that intuition has repeatedly failed me about which parts those are. Measure, don't guess, before you optimize.