3 ms·

Funny story. I get called an “idea killer,” because I say things like “The hinge is probably going to wear out. We should figure out how to deal with it.” That

Funny story. I get called an “idea killer,” because I say things like “The hinge is probably going to wear out. We should figure out how to deal with it.” That makes me a “negative naysayer.” I’ve learned to just shrug, and walk away from a lost cause. Sometimes, if I care enough, I can have some remedy ready for when the wheels come off. I can do that, because I’m retired. It’s not so easy, if it’s your job; especially when the hinge wears out, and they throw you under the bus for it. As an engineer, it has always been my job, to Make Things Happen. Not to prevent them from happening. We usually get paid well, because we do difficult things. We are going to see some real vibe-coding disasters, in the next few years, but the “negative naysayers” that learn to leverage the new tech, will do some pretty awesome stuff.

reval 7mo ago
Your example about this hinge is nurturing behaviour. This is exactly what people should be doing- identifying issues and also at least suggesting they be fixed before proceeding if not offering a fix themselves. There is more to your reputation than what sounds like a genuine growth mindset.
- ChrisMarshallNY 7mo ago
  Maybe. I tend to focus on "blockers," and things that can go wrong, first. I suspect a lot of people want to be buttered up, before the problems are discussed (i.e. "That's a really great idea! Have you thought about how often the hinge is stressed?") I'm a bit "spectrumish," so I sometimes miss the niceties. The Japanese were not reticent about discussing problems. It was fairly brutal, but we made great stuff.
  - genxy 7mo ago
    Discussing and solving problems is different than firing off Thought Terminating Clichés to kill someone's project. You do have to get to a working system, even if it is on a naive happy path before you can start preparing for the things that can go wrong.
    - ChrisMarshallNY 7mo ago
      Agreed, but it’s been my experience that anything that isn’t enthusiastic agreement, is considered “negativity.” When I encounter someone that is so fragile, that they literally fall apart, if we aren’t cheerleading, then I can’t work with them. I’m a creative, myself[0]. I’m familiar with the process. It’s my experience, that we often can’t see things that will kill the project, until we start drilling into the details; sometimes, not too far. Finding these things is not a death sentence. It’s the first step to success. They exist; whether or not we choose to see them. If your feet are wet, and you see pyramids, you’re in de Nile (or a fountain in Vegas). I have learned that this kind of introspection needs to happen, as soon as possible. It’s the way that I have been trained to work, and I’ve been shipping stuff, for my entire adult life. Shipping is not for the faint of heart. If your idea is meant to be displayed on a refrigerator, then you have the luxury of chasing off disagreement. If it's supposed to be something that people stake their careers on, and pay for, then we need to have a thicker skin. [EDITED TO ADD] A practical reason for finding the issues early, is who will be solving the problem. The earlier you find the problem, the more likely the person addressing it, will be creative. They will have more room to work, and they will be more invested in the vision, as opposed to the implementation. Late fixes are ugly. [0] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40917886 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40917886

reval 7mo ago

Your example about this hinge is nurturing behaviour. This is exactly what people should be doing- identifying issues and also at least suggesting they be fixed before proceeding if not offering a fix themselves. There is more to your reputation than what sounds like a genuine growth mindset.

ChrisMarshallNY 7mo ago
Maybe. I tend to focus on "blockers," and things that can go wrong, first. I suspect a lot of people want to be buttered up, before the problems are discussed (i.e. "That's a really great idea! Have you thought about how often the hinge is stressed?") I'm a bit "spectrumish," so I sometimes miss the niceties. The Japanese were not reticent about discussing problems. It was fairly brutal, but we made great stuff.
- genxy 7mo ago
  Discussing and solving problems is different than firing off Thought Terminating Clichés to kill someone's project. You do have to get to a working system, even if it is on a naive happy path before you can start preparing for the things that can go wrong.
  - ChrisMarshallNY 7mo ago
    Agreed, but it’s been my experience that anything that isn’t enthusiastic agreement, is considered “negativity.” When I encounter someone that is so fragile, that they literally fall apart, if we aren’t cheerleading, then I can’t work with them. I’m a creative, myself[0]. I’m familiar with the process. It’s my experience, that we often can’t see things that will kill the project, until we start drilling into the details; sometimes, not too far. Finding these things is not a death sentence. It’s the first step to success. They exist; whether or not we choose to see them. If your feet are wet, and you see pyramids, you’re in de Nile (or a fountain in Vegas). I have learned that this kind of introspection needs to happen, as soon as possible. It’s the way that I have been trained to work, and I’ve been shipping stuff, for my entire adult life. Shipping is not for the faint of heart. If your idea is meant to be displayed on a refrigerator, then you have the luxury of chasing off disagreement. If it's supposed to be something that people stake their careers on, and pay for, then we need to have a thicker skin. [EDITED TO ADD] A practical reason for finding the issues early, is who will be solving the problem. The earlier you find the problem, the more likely the person addressing it, will be creative. They will have more room to work, and they will be more invested in the vision, as opposed to the implementation. Late fixes are ugly. [0] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40917886 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40917886