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

Why should I care what color the bikeshed is? (1999)

bikeshed.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

11–20 of 86 posts

Re: Why should I care what color the bikeshed is? (1999)

#11

Post by aunty_helen »

kazinator wrote: post #10

Here is the thing. If you have a Convention Manual which calls for a certain color for bike sheds, then you use that. Failing that, if you have several other bike sheds of a certain color, then that's what you use, for consistency with existing bike sheds. The color of the bike shed only doesn't matter if it's the only bike shed, and there is no documentation which has already settled the matter.

Wouldn't you change the color if there's existing bike sheds of the same? So you can reference them by color.

Re: Why should I care what color the bikeshed is? (1999)

#12

Post by anonymous908213 »

wgjordan wrote: post #7

See also a rebuttal of sorts [1] from Brett Glass, the sole programmer singled out by name in phk's essay: > Poul-Henning's assertion that all such ideas should be dismissed as "bikeshedding" reflects this dismissive attitude, which can be just as damaging to a software project as taking too many suggestions (or accepting bad ones). At the time of the discussion I mention above, internal squabbles drove several talen…

Grabbing that domain, they must have quite an axe to grind. Not that the attack on them was any less childish.

Re: Why should I care what color the bikeshed is? (1999)

#13

Post by lostlogin »

dghlsakjg wrote: post #9
squidgyhead wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I write code and also cycle. I built a bike shed in my back yard. It has become quite difficult to search for advice on how to actually build a bike shed.

Enlighten us! What differentiates a good shed from a bike shed?

> What differentiates a good shed from a bike shed?

If my bike is there when I go to it.

Re: Why should I care what color the bikeshed is? (1999)

#14

Post by neilv »

dghlsakjg wrote: post #9
squidgyhead wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I write code and also cycle. I built a bike shed in my back yard. It has become quite difficult to search for advice on how to actually build a bike shed.

Enlighten us! What differentiates a good shed from a bike shed?

Let's crowdsource that question on HN.

Re: Why should I care what color the bikeshed is? (1999)

#15

Post by azundo »

wgjordan wrote: post #7

See also a rebuttal of sorts [1] from Brett Glass, the sole programmer singled out by name in phk's essay: > Poul-Henning's assertion that all such ideas should be dismissed as "bikeshedding" reflects this dismissive attitude, which can be just as damaging to a software project as taking too many suggestions (or accepting bad ones). At the time of the discussion I mention above, internal squabbles drove several talen…

I feel like I'm missing the context of the sleep(1) debate and reading both points of view they seem like they're arguing for the same side? Would love for someone to cleanly explain both sides to this as I clearly don't quite get it.

Re: Why should I care what color the bikeshed is? (1999)

#16

Post by YZF »

Reminds me of a story a friend related a long time ago about how to manage bosses. That probably applies to bike sheds.

The general idea is to introduce a glaring mistake into any proposal you make. Then the boss (or whoever feels like bikeshedding) can "catch" that mistake upon which you congratulate them on their infinite wisdom, fix the mistake, and the project can move along.

So to avoid the bikeshed color discussion, just do something totally stupid, like not have a roof, or a wall, then the nit-pickers will comment on that, you can quickly "address their concerns" and proceed to have a bike shed of any color you want.

Re: Why should I care what color the bikeshed is? (1999)

#17

Post by YZF »

kazinator wrote: post #10

Here is the thing. If you have a Convention Manual which calls for a certain color for bike sheds, then you use that. Failing that, if you have several other bike sheds of a certain color, then that's what you use, for consistency with existing bike sheds. The color of the bike shed only doesn't matter if it's the only bike shed, and there is no documentation which has already settled the matter.

The rule there is that it doesn't matter how many style guides you have or tools to auto-style your thing or whatnot people will still find something to nitpick and argue about.

If the Convention Manual says all sheds shall be green they'll argue about what shade of green. If it says it should be Magellan Green they'll argue about whether it should be clear coated and what grit should be used to prepare the surface. It never ends. They'll argue about whether the window frames should be the same color etc.

Re: Why should I care what color the bikeshed is? (1999)

#18

Post by marshmellman »

YZF wrote: post #16

Reminds me of a story a friend related a long time ago about how to manage bosses. That probably applies to bike sheds. The general idea is to introduce a glaring mistake into any proposal you make. Then the boss (or whoever feels like bikeshedding) can "catch" that mistake upon which you congratulate them on their infinite wisdom, fix the mistake, and the project can move along. So to avoid the bikeshed color discus…

How does one do this without appearing incompetent?

Re: Why should I care what color the bikeshed is? (1999)

#19

Post by YZF »

marshmellman wrote: post #18
YZF wrote: post #16

Reminds me of a story a friend related a long time ago about how to manage bosses. That probably applies to bike sheds. The general idea is to introduce a glaring mistake into any proposal you make. Then the boss (or whoever feels like bikeshedding) can "catch" that mistake upon which you congratulate them on their infinite wisdom, fix the mistake, and the project can move along. So to avoid the bikeshed color discus…

How does one do this without appearing incompetent?

You just gotta pick mistakes that are plausible. The point is whatever you do the "bad boss" will find something.

The very competent can do this without the boss realizing ;) Or it's just a tall tale.

Re: Why should I care what color the bikeshed is? (1999)

#20

Post by wizardforhire »

marshmellman wrote: post #18
YZF wrote: post #16

Reminds me of a story a friend related a long time ago about how to manage bosses. That probably applies to bike sheds. The general idea is to introduce a glaring mistake into any proposal you make. Then the boss (or whoever feels like bikeshedding) can "catch" that mistake upon which you congratulate them on their infinite wisdom, fix the mistake, and the project can move along. So to avoid the bikeshed color discus…

How does one do this without appearing incompetent?

Spellcheck is a thing…

One strategically misspelled word placed somewhere around and neer the lower right of the page…

At least that’s the way some lawyers I know do it.

Post reply on HN