4 ms·
In the history of software development, has a project ever been doomed by a bus killing the key engineer?
by kwertyoowiyop 3y ago
In the history of software development, has a project ever been doomed by a bus killing the key engineer?
- jrnichols 3y agoI think that ReiserFS was doomed because of the key engineer actually killing.
- dharmab 3y agoNot a bus, but TropeTrainer: https://www.inverse.com/input/features/tropetrainer-thomas-buchler-torah-software https://www.inverse.com/input/features/tropetrainer-thomas-b..., to the point where synagogues are passing around computers running old copies of macOS so kids can study fir their bar and bat mitzahs
- kwertyoowiyop 3y agoAn interesting story. Do you think he subconsciously wanted the program to die with him, to ensure he would be missed?
- water-data-dude 3y agoThat was a super interesting yet melancholy read. Thanks for sharing it
- andrewprock 3y agoYes, this is actually quite common. As often as tech companies fail due to poor marketing or poor business, they also fail due to technical debt induced by laying off core developers.
- kwertyoowiyop 3y agoI was thinking of a bus - or any other quick and unexpected fatality - specifically.
- andromeduck 3y agoI'd probably look at plane accidents.
- jrnichols 3y agoThe crash & loss of executives from Chevron & Pacific Bell on PSA Flight 1771 is such an example.
- andrewprock 3y agoLayoffs are often quick and unexpected, and the impacted employees are essentially "dead to the company".