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Something about this makes me cringe. Not sure exactly what. I think it's the idea of "iterate fast and build awesome software" as it pertains to high integrity

Something about this makes me cringe. Not sure exactly what. I think it's the idea of "iterate fast and build awesome software" as it pertains to high integrity systems. You don't iterate fast or slow when dealing with this shit. You do it at the exact speed you need to to fully understand the domain, failure modes, validation processes, etc. Similarly, you don't write "awesome software", you write exactly what is needed -- nothing more, nothing less, and what is there needs to go bang every time. There is no reason to believe an enthusiastic day-tripper who starts getting bored when the grueling FMEA, design validation, etc. starts to kick in is a better choice than the salaryman who's prepared to do what needs to be done for the next 10+ years of the product lifecycle. I say this as somebody that worked on an unreleased product that was on the cusp of safety critical and am glad that it didn't go to production in hindsight. It desperately needed less "awesome" software and a lot more "paperwork".

Workaccount2 2y ago
I don't think anyone here wants to hear this or understand it, but SWE work needs a hard reality check. I think a lot has been lost in the swirl of easy six figure salaries and recruiters constantly nagging you to jump ship and come work on awesome xyz. A downpour of VC money doing billion dollar shotgun blasts hoping to find just one gem. Let me put it this way: If you had a team of EE's and ME's who all made between $150k and $250k, you would basically have the cream of the crop. A team that could make mars rovers or infallible pacemakers. But a team of SWEs making that much? You get buggy weight loss apps and serially broken web access portals.
- ghaff 2y ago
  There are a variety of factors, not all of which may upend things but some probably will at least for certain classes of SWEs. Remote opportunities in lower cost areas, AI, and a glut of people who jumped in because that’s where the dollars were are a few that come to mind. Doesn’t mean that competent SWEs will be destitute but salaries will probably trend more towards other typical engineering salaries—solid middle class professional salaries.

Workaccount2 2y ago

I don't think anyone here wants to hear this or understand it, but SWE work needs a hard reality check. I think a lot has been lost in the swirl of easy six figure salaries and recruiters constantly nagging you to jump ship and come work on awesome xyz. A downpour of VC money doing billion dollar shotgun blasts hoping to find just one gem. Let me put it this way: If you had a team of EE's and ME's who all made between $150k and $250k, you would basically have the cream of the crop. A team that could make mars rovers or infallible pacemakers. But a team of SWEs making that much? You get buggy weight loss apps and serially broken web access portals.

ghaff 2y ago
There are a variety of factors, not all of which may upend things but some probably will at least for certain classes of SWEs. Remote opportunities in lower cost areas, AI, and a glut of people who jumped in because that’s where the dollars were are a few that come to mind. Doesn’t mean that competent SWEs will be destitute but salaries will probably trend more towards other typical engineering salaries—solid middle class professional salaries.