Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Anti Mediocracy Manifesto for Software Development

gabordemooij.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

11–20 of 110 posts

Re: Anti Mediocracy Manifesto for Software Development

#12

Post by k__ »

codingdave wrote: post #7
sanxiyn wrote: post #2

"It does not matter how many people use framework X." Unfortunately, it does. It sort of makes sense Manifest Against Mediocracy includes such statement, since this is the large impediment in fight against mediocracy, but simply asserting it doesn't make it true.

It was not simply asserted. It was supported with an example of a security problem that would be experienced by everyone using a framework. We've seen it in reality, with the left-pad fiasco.

This really was a fiasco.

We went from big frameworks to a bunch of libs.

Many people got into extreme and even used stuff like left-pad.

I try to only include third party software for stuff I don't have the time or skills to implement. This makes my utils directory a bit bigger, but that's it.

Re: Anti Mediocracy Manifesto for Software Development

#13

Post by vintageseltzer »

> ... it's not about gobbling together the right tools and do some plumbing to make it work. No, it's using tools to craft a work of art. Anyone not recognizing this is an inferior software developer by definition ...

So — if you don't prioritize your ego and personal sense of artistry over accomplishing the task, you are an inferior developer? I would never want a person like this on my team.

Re: Anti Mediocracy Manifesto for Software Development

#15

Post by arpa »

While very idealistic and beautiful in a way as all manifests tend to be, we (along the author) tend to forget certain truths - the middle of the gaussian curve is fattest; all natural distributions follow that curve, and developers are no exception. Most of us, by definition, are mediocre. There's nothing that can be done about it. We should not shun, but rather embrace that. Not by deluding ourselves that if we follow some idealistic manifesto we somehow rise above our limited skills and minds. We will not. We will suck. Our tech will suck. Other peoples' tech will suck. There is no ideal that can be attained. This is not the profession of saints and Buddhas. But by knowing this, by accepting this, we can start working on raising the standard for mediocracy...

Re: Anti Mediocracy Manifesto for Software Development

#16

Post by GrumpyNl »

vintageseltzer wrote: post #13

> ... it's not about gobbling together the right tools and do some plumbing to make it work. No, it's using tools to craft a work of art. Anyone not recognizing this is an inferior software developer by definition ... So — if you don't prioritize your ego and personal sense of artistry over accomplishing the task, you are an inferior developer? I would never want a person like this on my team.

You dont get it do you?

Re: Anti Mediocracy Manifesto for Software Development

#19

Post by gonzo41 »

retox wrote: post #8

These lines sound like a recipe for scope/feature creep and never ending development process. >Never do requirement analysis. Never write technical requirements or functional ones. If you do, you have already failed. In that case, how do you know when the software is finished and your contract has been fulfilled? >Creative solutions are often holistic in nature, driven by first-hand experience, discussion, interactio…

Theres 'building castle from our minds' developing and then there's 'get shit done' developing.

I'm kind of sick of so many devs fighting to try and outsmart each other. I'm looking at legacy code basses where people wanted to have a go at a technology and it just became an unmanageable abortion because they move on, support picks up the gig and then rot. Now I'm learning obscure technologies not in use by the majority of the bell curve because someone had a thought bubble. -- end rant.

I'm all for the middle ground. Money flows to those who deliver.

Re: Anti Mediocracy Manifesto for Software Development

#20

Post by smackay »

arpa wrote: post #15

While very idealistic and beautiful in a way as all manifests tend to be, we (along the author) tend to forget certain truths - the middle of the gaussian curve is fattest; all natural distributions follow that curve, and developers are no exception. Most of us, by definition, are mediocre. There's nothing that can be done about it. We should not shun, but rather embrace that. Not by deluding ourselves that if we fol…

But surely the purpose of the manifesto is to skew that curve to the right.
Post reply on HN