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The problem with this is that non-technical people have no idea who can implement their brilliant idea for them. They don't know how to tell good programmers f
by rsheridan6 18y ago
The problem with this is that non-technical people have no idea who can implement their brilliant idea for them. They don't know how to tell good programmers from bad ones, so they'll just hire somebody with an impressive resume, with varying results.
I'm not saying that a 28 year old MBA who has never written a line of code should spend 2 years becoming a semi-competent hacker instead of hiring somebody, but they probably would have been better off spending some time on it in high school instead of pursuing straight As or doing application-polishing ECs.
- HeyLaughingBoy 18y agoThe problem with this is that non-technical people have no idea who can implement their brilliant idea for them That's why you need to build your network. I'm an electrical engineer: I have no idea how to identify a brilliant biochemist. But if I need to hire one for my new alternative energy startup, hopefully I'll already know someone who has expertise in that field and can either recommend one to me, or help in the hiring process.
- Radix 18y agoYes but the GPs point still stands. You're an EE, after you've found the brilliant biochemist you have the knowlege framework to relate to her. A non-technical MBA may very well be unable to relate and without someone communicating properly to him, he'll be lost.
- rsheridan6 18y agoSee the movie startup.com for an example. A Harvard MBA hires his friend, who brags that he's been programming since he was 6 IIRC, as his CTO. But this CTO doesn't really appear to know anything, and the company ends up burning through $60 million of other people's money without making a usable product.