4 ms·

How is "no, unless" clearer than a statement like "yes, if?" I think the entire point is that they say the same thing while projecting a completely different a

How is "no, unless" clearer than a statement like "yes, if?" I think the entire point is that they say the same thing while projecting a completely different attitude. The way that someone responds to the question of "can we do this" is very important.

epochwolf 13y ago
Because there's plenty of people that don't listen past the first word.
- kenjackson 13y ago
  Then there are MUCH bigger problems than the first word anyways.
  - deleted 13y ago
    [deleted]
  - lucisferre 13y ago
    This kind of reply has become such a meme. Of course, it's always some "bigger" problem that are at the heart of disfunction. The problem is the _people_ who are often at the heart of such disfunction are usually the ones that judge their "reports" by how often they say "no, because" vs. "yes, if", typically because of some quote they read paraphrased in some internet discussion. We typically call this middle management. Regardless I'm not really interested in the blame game on who's responsible management or engineering. Both are irrelevant to this discussion. "Can" or "can't", as the article discusses, is an issue of leadership in a business. If it isn't there, it isn't going to matter whether the engineer says "how high?" whenever their asked to jump.
- philjr 13y ago
  Why is that only a problem if you start a sentence with 'Yes' ? Cynics always have scapegoats. It's always everyone else's fault. Dumb colleagues, idiotic managers, stupid customers. Just remember you control your situation and how those around you interact with you. The 'Yes, if' thing is one of the major reasons I love startups.
  - watwut 13y ago
    Because they want to hear yes. So, they will keep looking for it even if you start with no.
- sbuk 13y ago
  So start with "If..." and finish with "...then yes!"
  - stavrianos 13y ago
    That... sounds like it might actually work.
  - nrs26 13y ago
    This is my favorite comment in the thread :)
lucisferre 13y ago
Neither is really, which is why this is such an empty discussion.

epochwolf 13y ago

Because there's plenty of people that don't listen past the first word.

kenjackson 13y ago
Then there are MUCH bigger problems than the first word anyways.
- deleted 13y ago
  [deleted]
- lucisferre 13y ago
  This kind of reply has become such a meme. Of course, it's always some "bigger" problem that are at the heart of disfunction. The problem is the _people_ who are often at the heart of such disfunction are usually the ones that judge their "reports" by how often they say "no, because" vs. "yes, if", typically because of some quote they read paraphrased in some internet discussion. We typically call this middle management. Regardless I'm not really interested in the blame game on who's responsible management or engineering. Both are irrelevant to this discussion. "Can" or "can't", as the article discusses, is an issue of leadership in a business. If it isn't there, it isn't going to matter whether the engineer says "how high?" whenever their asked to jump.
philjr 13y ago
Why is that only a problem if you start a sentence with 'Yes' ? Cynics always have scapegoats. It's always everyone else's fault. Dumb colleagues, idiotic managers, stupid customers. Just remember you control your situation and how those around you interact with you. The 'Yes, if' thing is one of the major reasons I love startups.
- watwut 13y ago
  Because they want to hear yes. So, they will keep looking for it even if you start with no.
sbuk 13y ago
So start with "If..." and finish with "...then yes!"
- stavrianos 13y ago
  That... sounds like it might actually work.
- nrs26 13y ago
  This is my favorite comment in the thread :)

lucisferre 13y ago

Neither is really, which is why this is such an empty discussion.