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To me it seems like the author is saying “An important decision is a nonlinear one, where a nonlinear decision is one that might have a big impacts.” So this w

To me it seems like the author is saying “An important decision is a nonlinear one, where a nonlinear decision is one that might have a big impacts.” So this whole post boils down to something like: “only debate decisions that might have big impacts.” I don’t really see what’s interesting about that idea.

deleted 4y ago
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nextaccountic 4y ago
> So this whole post boils down to something like: “only debate decisions that might have big impacts.” I don’t really see what’s interesting about that idea. And yet, many people might agree with it but still debate trivial matters
- nvader 4y ago
  Yes, but when you say "trivial", I think you actually mean "pedantic". This is an important distinction because... Click to read more (28 min read)
civilized 4y ago
Tech writing could do with less "this is technical" signaling and more actual precision. Use ordinary words to express ordinary concepts ("big impact") and technical words for technical concepts ("nonlinear", "exponential"). Don't use technical words to fluff up ordinary ideas.
- blt 4y ago
  Sadly, it seems that people absolutely love doing this.
haimez 4y ago
It’s not only uninteresting- it’s wrong. Linear costs of bad decisions can kill a business in so many ways.
svnt 4y ago
The author stops at an intuitive leap before developing the idea into something easily put into practice. Actually doing what the author describes is often impossible except in an intuitive way. How could you know a priori which decisions might have big impacts? On a project of any complexity you need either deep specific experience or a very accurate working model of the entire project. You aren’t likely to have either. This has been previously covered in depth, even in software, although of course it could possibly be improved. Painting the bikeshed is one example: http://phk.freebsd.dk/sagas/bikeshed/ http://phk.freebsd.dk/sagas/bikeshed/

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nextaccountic 4y ago

> So this whole post boils down to something like: “only debate decisions that might have big impacts.” I don’t really see what’s interesting about that idea. And yet, many people might agree with it but still debate trivial matters

nvader 4y ago
Yes, but when you say "trivial", I think you actually mean "pedantic". This is an important distinction because... Click to read more (28 min read)

civilized 4y ago

Tech writing could do with less "this is technical" signaling and more actual precision. Use ordinary words to express ordinary concepts ("big impact") and technical words for technical concepts ("nonlinear", "exponential"). Don't use technical words to fluff up ordinary ideas.

blt 4y ago
Sadly, it seems that people absolutely love doing this.

haimez 4y ago

It’s not only uninteresting- it’s wrong. Linear costs of bad decisions can kill a business in so many ways.

svnt 4y ago

The author stops at an intuitive leap before developing the idea into something easily put into practice. Actually doing what the author describes is often impossible except in an intuitive way. How could you know a priori which decisions might have big impacts? On a project of any complexity you need either deep specific experience or a very accurate working model of the entire project. You aren’t likely to have either. This has been previously covered in depth, even in software, although of course it could possibly be improved. Painting the bikeshed is one example: http://phk.freebsd.dk/sagas/bikeshed/ http://phk.freebsd.dk/sagas/bikeshed/