4 ms·
The issue here is that "does it work" isn't a good enough metric for code quality. If two engineers deliver code that accomplishes the same task, one might have
by bsirkia 13y ago
The issue here is that "does it work" isn't a good enough metric for code quality. If two engineers deliver code that accomplishes the same task, one might have made it readable, testable, scalable, etc. and the other just jammed it together to accomplish the desired result, the manager that can't read code won't know the difference.
Yes, in the long term, the shortcut taking programmer's shortcuts will catch up to him (code will break, you can't add more people to work on his code, etc.), but it could be too late for the manager.
- greenyoda 13y ago"the manager that can't read code won't know the difference" The manager that spent a month "learning to code" but never worked on a big project will think he knows the difference, but probably doesn't either.
- rattray 13y agoSure; but he or she might have a better idea than someone who doesn't know `=` from `==`, right? And do you really want to turn your best engineers into managers, when they'd be much happier and more productive building themselves? EDIT: Of course, I do agree with you. It's just worth keeping in mind that perfection can be hard to reach, at least in the conventional manager-evaluates-engineer format.
- bsirkia 13y agoRight that's true, it does come down to the manager's level of expertise. I guess my point is that you need someone with a solid understanding of code to review their output, not just a manager evaluating "does it work", whether that reviewer is another senior engineer, the CTO, the technical co-founder, etc.
- austenallred 13y agoYou're right. I'm not saying "Hey, I spent a month and now I can tell my co-founder how it should be done" - the first couple months is just the beginning. But I feel like I can relate to/understand 10% of the process when before I could relate to 0%, and that's a big jump. I can see how it could get out of hand if I started questioning things I don't understand, beating my chest and saying "Don't tell me that, I know how to code," but now at least I can have a discussion with him without everything going over my head. It's difficult to explain how big of a difference that makes.
- deleted 13y ago[deleted]
- elohesra 13y agoMore anecdata: We've actually had exactly this problem on a team, where our manager had a rudimentary understanding of database design and became very insistent that the team should do things his way. It eventually got to the point where the team would have to spend 2 hours explaining a design decision to the manager, instead of spending 15 minutes to implement it. It was particularly irksome, because the manager would refuse to read any best practices or take any advice, and became defensive about decisions he didn't understand instead of asking them to be explained more clearly. That said, I think this issue was caused by 10% technical ineptitude and 90% ego.
- VexXtreme 13y agoI was in a similar situation once. A manager with zero development experience was overruling our decisions on how to architect the application and the workflow. I was young and needed money badly at the time so I went along with it, but if I ever found myself in a similar scenario again - where some chest beating bozo is telling me how to do my job - I would explain that I'm not the best fit for their work culture and promptly give my resignation notice. Unless you're desperate for cash or something, don't ever subject yourself to such blatant disrespect. It's a truly soul crushing experience.