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Humility is one thing. Virtue-signaling whining of the type "oh we are so terrible and everything we build is broken" is a very different thing. Do the experim
by p-e-w 4y ago
Humility is one thing. Virtue-signaling whining of the type "oh we are so terrible and everything we build is broken" is a very different thing.
Do the experiment: Take any such statement (which you can find dozens of on HN every single day), then modify it for another science or engineering profession and see if you end up with something that sounds even remotely appropriate.
"Oh, us aerospace engineers are so terrible! The JWST is 15 years late and 15 times over budget, and even after all that time and money we only managed to deliver a piece of junk that almost got knocked out by a tiny fragment of space shrapnel."
Do you really find it acceptable when people speak in this manner of what you do? I cannot think of any other profession that would tolerate this, much less culturally encourage it.
- jacksnipe 4y agoUp top I want to be clear: I totally agree that software is really, really close to actual magic. I think comments like this are less about the reality of the situation and more about a bad vibe about the industry, and venting. I think we’ve all been in a situation where “doing a good job” meant moving a little faster than we think is appropriate. These pressures add up, and I don’t think it’s totally unreasonable that some folks who witness things too far on that end of the spectrum might scream out into the void. I don’t think it generally comes from a place of disrespect. In fact I feel like it comes from a place of feeling like doing good work is important. If i get it in person though, it does generally come from folks who think they’re better than me, which I agree is disrespectful.