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Software engineering topics I changed my mind on

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Re: Software engineering topics I changed my mind on

#431

Post by disgruntledphd2 »

atq2119 wrote: post #342
01100011 wrote: post #159

Earlier quoted context omitted.

IME a PM takes time at the beginning of the project to define tasks, dependencies, and time estimates. After that, you meet with them formally once every 1-4 weeks as a team to update the schedule, along with an informal, individual chat as needed for critical tasks and late dependencies. It took a lot less time than the useless daily standup meetings I now attend. Most of my experience with PMs was at smaller orgs w…

> It's important to hire good PMs without huge egos or career aspirations. This is so important. PMs are there to serve management and engineering, not the other way around. As soon as you have PMs who are trying to boost their own profile, you're screwed.

See much of FAANG over the last five or so years for a number of good examples.

Re: Software engineering topics I changed my mind on

#432

Post by eecks »

dnautics wrote: post #115

Here's what i have to say about TDD (I do not practice TDD on a day-to-day basis). Even if you don't use it, you should know what it is. If you choose to use it religiously, that's probably a bad choice, but if you don't do it ever, you are missing out on a huge tool. In general, if I see an insurmountably complex challenge ahead of myself, sometimes TDD (especially detroit-style TDD) is a tool to refocus my attentio…

First time I have every heard of "detroit-style" TDD (and from looking it up "London-style"). Why were they given these names?

Re: Software engineering topics I changed my mind on

#434

Post by eecks »

I seem to be the only one confused by the list. Could someone clarify? When the author says "Java isn't that terrible of a language." in the "Things I've changed my mind on" are they saying they used to think Java was not a terrible language and now think the opposite? (i.e. current opinion is that Java is a terrible language.)

Re: Software engineering topics I changed my mind on

#435

Post by throwaway2245 »

avereveard wrote: post #380
H8crilA wrote: post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's especially useful with the newbies, as they are most likely to attempt to reinvent the wheel, due to lack of knowledge/experience. Also, in the age of WFH stand-ups are a replacement for lunch conversations, the most rudimentary block of team building. I think that if you're not doing stand-ups or something like that since March you're probably losing team coherence.

I'm glad I've reinvented the wheel that many time as a junior, it let me learn why some framework and some solutions are the way they are, and made it extremely easy to pick up third party solutions later on

We'll never know the counterfactual, but in my opinion:

You could have learned the same thing more efficiently, with more support for why you didn't need to reinvent the wheel.

Re: Software engineering topics I changed my mind on

#436

Post by theshrike79 »

potta_coffee wrote: post #186
busterarm wrote: post #183

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Frankly, many engineers want to use the latest trends like microservices or NoSQL because they believe that’s what’s best for their resume, even if it’s not necessarily best for the company. Probably nobody is using NoSQL for their resume. It's because picking a relational database, while usually the correct choice, is HARD when you're operating in an environment that changes quickly and has poorly defined specific…

I'm facing this issue now. App is supposed to deliver to clients after this sprint - and the data model still isn't locked down. After arguing through about 10 hours worth of meetings this week, I think I need a new job.

The best thing about the lockdown is that you can apply, interview and change jobs without leaving your desk at home =)

Re: Software engineering topics I changed my mind on

#437

Post by [deleted] »

eecks wrote: post #434

I seem to be the only one confused by the list. Could someone clarify? When the author says "Java isn't that terrible of a language." in the "Things I've changed my mind on" are they saying they used to think Java was not a terrible language and now think the opposite? (i.e. current opinion is that Java is a terrible language.)

[deleted]

Re: Software engineering topics I changed my mind on

#438

Post by radicalbyte »

theshrike79 wrote: post #427
radicalbyte wrote: post #415

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm also at 20 years, and he has hit the nail dead on. I can add a few things: * Operational considerations dominate language choice. * Architecture too. * Politics, leverage and all that MBA crap dominate all of that. * Language zealots are net negative idiots and need taking outside and shooting. * Actually apply that to all zealots. * The root cause of the above is often insecurity; and it can be coached / culture…

One more from me, with 20 years of experience. Some people are force multipliers. They make everyone around them more efficient. BUT people like this are hard to determine with Standard Performance Indicators. Personal anecdote: I had to fight tooth and nail to keep a junior coder in my team because "she wasn't performing well". Yes, she didn't commit often and her code quality was average at best. Tasks took longer…

Totally agree; I'm now very similar to your example, only I came from being one "the" 10x-er. Then I worked with another 10x-er at the same time as we had our first kid. With no sleep and no time to learn I could remain a 10x-er so transitioned into a Tech Lead (and am now moving towards CTO).

Now I spent my time optimising/running the system of software creation and delivery, being the face and the glue - because hey, that's me.

Re: Software engineering topics I changed my mind on

#439

Post by looshch »

Fire-Dragon-DoL wrote: post #367

> Pencil and paper are the best programming tools and vastly under used This should probably rephrased to "taking notes", if I understand what it's suggesting

I think the author meant writing ideas down and visualizing them with pencil so you can quickly amend what you already have drawn along with freeing your cognitive capacity

Re: Software engineering topics I changed my mind on

#440

Post by mkl »

eecks wrote: post #434

I seem to be the only one confused by the list. Could someone clarify? When the author says "Java isn't that terrible of a language." in the "Things I've changed my mind on" are they saying they used to think Java was not a terrible language and now think the opposite? (i.e. current opinion is that Java is a terrible language.)

He introduces that list with "Things I now believe, which past me would've squabbled with". It seems pretty clear.
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