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"in terms of ancillary tools, automated testing in general could only be second to version control for what it does to long term productivity." His whole point
by holygoat 17y ago
"in terms of ancillary tools, automated testing in general could only be second to version control for what it does to long term productivity."
His whole point is that short-term productivity is sometimes more important. No point building a product that'll be easy for you to extend in the future if you don't build it quick enough to have a future.
- dasil003 17y agoMy whole point is that short-term productivity doesn't need an advocate. If you're literally going to die then sure, go ahead and throw the hail mary. However in the vast majority of cases the future becomes the present quicker than anyone foresaw and then you find out that 20% time savings has now put you in a position where all future development is 50% more expensive, at which point you either (possibly) scored an amazing victory or you (more likely) handed yourself a crippling setback. You know, sort of like the situation that presumably led to the rewrite of Mozilla.
- The_Lost_Hacker 17y agoHowever in the vast majority of cases Sorry, but that is extremely wrong. In the vast majority of cases, every bit of work you did amounts to nothing. For every successful startup, there are thousands of failures. There is absolutely no point in wasting time on ANYTHING long term until you are sure of success, whether that be attracting a shitload of users or making a shitload of money. I learned this lesson in an extremely painful way.