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Why Doesn't Software Show Up in Productivity?

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Re: Why Doesn't Software Show Up in Productivity?

#141

Post by WalterBright »

euroderf wrote: post #134
WalterBright wrote: post #127

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I built my dream workbench. The commercial ones were too light. I wanted one that was 8 feet long, and 4 deep, that I could bolt a big vise to, and whale away at whatever was in the vise without the bench scittering across the floor. It is build entirely from 4x4s for the legs, 2x4s for the rest of the frame, and 1x8 planks for the top and shelf. It's all held together with carriage bolts so it can be disassembled, a…

Sounds good. Post a sketch or plan somewhere ?

Not much to it. No sawing required other than the length. 6 4x4 vertical posts in a 3 by 2 configuration. A skirt around the top of 2x4s, and another 1/3 up from the ground. A 2x4 connecting the center posts at top and bottom. Then just plank the top, and plank 1/3 up to make a shelf. Drill & bolt.

Don't tighten the bolts until it is all together. Then set it in place and let it settle all the posts firmly on the floor, then tighten.

I left it au natural because I like the look and feel of sawn wood.

Hope you like yours as much as I like mine.

Re: Why Doesn't Software Show Up in Productivity?

#142

Post by masklinn »

gred wrote: post #121
dalbasal wrote: post #31

Extremely worthwhile question, long overdue. Productivity, especially in relevant areas like administration, stagnated despite computers hitting every desk. I read the Cowen book (Complacent Class) at the same time I was reader Graeber's "Bullshit Jobs." Heterodox writers from both sides of the spectrum. Same observation. On the face of it, it doesn't make sense. How could, for example, a local college's administrati…

> Productivity, especially in relevant areas like administration, stagnated despite computers hitting every desk. I don't know if this has been quantified, but to some extent the extra capability is simply repurposed to more detailed administration. Things that were not possible become possible. Things that we did not have time for, we suddenly have time to do. Per Parkinson, "work expands so as to fill the time avai…

That also happens in e.g. manufacturing. I was talking to an uncle who worked in aluminium manufacturing, he was explaining that as computers developed they could convert waste to very precisely understood ingots (in terms of composition), then when an order arrives the manufacturing program would know exactly what ingots should be picked to fulfil the order with as little pure metal (both aluminium and solutes) as possible, as that’s where the plant’s margin was. Iirc he told me they were above 99% (so only needed pure aluminium straight out of a smelter for less than 1% of their production).

Re: Why Doesn't Software Show Up in Productivity?

#143

Post by MisterBastahrd »

neogodless wrote: post #4

This article makes me think of the woodworker's dilemma. You might start working with cutting, planing, joining and finishing wood because you want to make a chair or end table, and you like the idea of learning to do it yourself, maybe saving some money, or at least getting some extra tools out of the process, and having some pride in your work. But before you know it, you've spent 4 years accumulating tools, but mo…

This was exactly me when I was big into video game emulation. I would spend 90% of my time hunting down rare roms and then categorizing them, testing them, ensuring that they were valid, etc and only 10% of my time playing the games. On top of that, the vast majority of the games were barely worth playing at all.

Re: Why Doesn't Software Show Up in Productivity?

#144

Post by devoutsalsa »

neogodless wrote: post #4

This article makes me think of the woodworker's dilemma. You might start working with cutting, planing, joining and finishing wood because you want to make a chair or end table, and you like the idea of learning to do it yourself, maybe saving some money, or at least getting some extra tools out of the process, and having some pride in your work. But before you know it, you've spent 4 years accumulating tools, but mo…

Like Hal fixing a light bulb (42s watch):

https://youtu.be/AbSehcT19u0

Re: Why Doesn't Software Show Up in Productivity?

#145

Post by lifeisstillgood »

I am writing a book covering a lot of this ground (shout out to Roald Coase) - but I have a different (ish) conclusion.

It's not going to be a few "software-friendly" companies like FAANG that eventually lead the charge and we see productivity - it's waaay longer term than that.

My take is software is a form of literacy - and it will only be when managers code daily that we will see enough of the control layers (model, monitor mentor) being actually software that software will show up in productivity stats

If you like an analogy - steam engines used to power factories but there was one central engine and you spread out the power to other areas via bands / chains. Electricity came along but mostly replaced the central engine - it was not till people experimented with having power sent to many engines did the modern (Fordist) factory layout become feasible

In short - everyone needs to learn to code

or - if an SRE is what you get when you ask a coder to design a software development process, a programmable company is what you get when you ask a coder to design a company

Re: Why Doesn't Software Show Up in Productivity?

#146

Post by mmarq »

Jensson wrote: post #28

Firstly, GDP is a bad measure of productivity. A pill that replaced all healthcare would reduce GDP by 15%, but I doubt anyone (even economists) would call that a catastrophe. Productivity has stalled mostly because people have already filled their needs, so it makes little sense to buy more. Basically everyone have the clothes they need, the food they need, the car they need, the computer they need, already. Screen…

> Firstly, GDP is a bad measure of productivity. A pill that replaced all healthcare would reduce GDP by 15%, but I doubt anyone (even economists) would call that a catastrophe.

This is only true in vacuum. In the real world, if this pill totally annihilated the healthcare sector, a massive amount of resources would be freed and reallocated in other sectors.

Re: Why Doesn't Software Show Up in Productivity?

#148

Post by xmprt »

manachar wrote: post #131
hvs wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A few nits to pick as a woodworker: 1) You never save money building it yourself (at least not in comparison to a standard consumer option, like a chair or table from your local furniture store. This may hold up if you compare what you build to high-end hardwood furniture. But with the cost of tools, you're probably still losing money if this is just a hobby) 2) 90% of my enjoyment of woodworking is just being in my…

There's something amazing/odd/horrifying about a world where it is generally no longer cheaper to do anything yourself. I love to bake and cook. I can do so fairly frugally. A supermarket frozen pie is still gonna be cheaper than anything I can make, especially if I count my time. It's a benefit and goal of the modern global industrialized supply chain, but I cannot help feel that making me work a full time job to bu…

I think what you're worried about is the death of ownership and how people are increasingly starting to either sell their information or rent the things they need.

Being able to buy things for cheaper from elsewhere is just specialization and it's one of the first things that brought humans from the store age to more modern civilization.

Re: Why Doesn't Software Show Up in Productivity?

#149

Post by jeffreyrogers »

lifeisstillgood wrote: post #145

I am writing a book covering a lot of this ground (shout out to Roald Coase) - but I have a different (ish) conclusion. It's not going to be a few "software-friendly" companies like FAANG that eventually lead the charge and we see productivity - it's waaay longer term than that. My take is software is a form of literacy - and it will only be when managers code daily that we will see enough of the control layers (mode…

Coding is hard though. I remember helping a smart friend of mine with his homework in college for an intro CS course and even basic fizz-buzz type stuff was very hard for him. This is a guy who has had a highly successful career post-college and did well in his (non-technical) major. I'm skeptical that more than a small fraction of the population will ever learn to code at more than a superficial level.

Re: Why Doesn't Software Show Up in Productivity?

#150

Post by dwaltrip »

manachar wrote: post #131
hvs wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A few nits to pick as a woodworker: 1) You never save money building it yourself (at least not in comparison to a standard consumer option, like a chair or table from your local furniture store. This may hold up if you compare what you build to high-end hardwood furniture. But with the cost of tools, you're probably still losing money if this is just a hobby) 2) 90% of my enjoyment of woodworking is just being in my…

There's something amazing/odd/horrifying about a world where it is generally no longer cheaper to do anything yourself. I love to bake and cook. I can do so fairly frugally. A supermarket frozen pie is still gonna be cheaper than anything I can make, especially if I count my time. It's a benefit and goal of the modern global industrialized supply chain, but I cannot help feel that making me work a full time job to bu…

It’s not a bad thing by to make something yourself even if it costs more. The joy of making it is valuable. As well as the knowledge that your are a little more self-reliant.
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