Software is narrative

#1

Post by dhaneshnm » Fri, Aug 04, 2017, 6:00 PM UTC

Software is narrative
infiniteundo.com

Re: Software is narrative

#2

Post by yodon » Fri, Aug 04, 2017, 6:26 PM UTC

I think the OP is on a path that will eventually lead them to discover or re-invent Conway's Law[0]

[0]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conway's_law

Re: Software is narrative

#3

Post by ajarmst » Fri, Aug 04, 2017, 6:36 PM UTC

I think I'll open with a dubious metaphor I just came up with and a demand that the reader immediately and wholeheartedly accept that metaphor as literal truth. That's how you grab an audience!

Re: Software is narrative

#4

Post by d--b » Fri, Aug 04, 2017, 7:31 PM UTC

Sorry I just don't understand the article. Can anyone rephrase?

Re: Software is narrative

#5

Post by dannyrosen » Fri, Aug 04, 2017, 7:37 PM UTC

The contrast here is great.

Finding the problem and creating a solution along with focusing on the process of creating that solution in order to reduce risk of building the wrong solution. Contrasted to building a solution along with a sane dev and production environment for that solution to fit in, to increase possible iteration velocity by reducing deployment inertia.

Re: Software is narrative

#6

Post by nsuser3 » Fri, Aug 04, 2017, 8:01 PM UTC

d--b wrote: post #4

Sorry I just don't understand the article. Can anyone rephrase?

The main point of the article appears to be:

> You always have to design both “the product” your customers want and “the environment” in which your product will run in production. Thus any software product begins with two obvious categories of “work to be done.” People ignore this because it seems [counterintuitive.][going_there]

Re: Software is narrative

#7

Post by b0rsuk » Fri, Aug 04, 2017, 8:13 PM UTC

Okay, I'll take it at face value. Can you name a few competent programmers who are also competent book / story writers ?

Re: Software is narrative

#8

Post by Textarcana » Fri, Aug 04, 2017, 8:13 PM UTC

ajarmst wrote: post #3

I think I'll open with a dubious metaphor I just came up with and a demand that the reader immediately and wholeheartedly accept that metaphor as literal truth. That's how you grab an audience!

Yes, I write intentionally click-baity blog posts. You got me.

Re: Software is narrative

#9

Post by Textarcana » Fri, Aug 04, 2017, 8:14 PM UTC

b0rsuk wrote: post #7

Okay, I'll take it at face value. Can you name a few competent programmers who are also competent book / story writers ?

Vernor Vinge and Charles Stross spring immediately to mind. Also James Tiptree, Jr. was a CIA analyst in the 50s and 60s so probably was a regular user of the early government mainframe systems.

Re: Software is narrative

#10

Post by Textarcana » Fri, Aug 04, 2017, 8:15 PM UTC

yodon wrote: post #2

I think the OP is on a path that will eventually lead them to discover or re-invent Conway's Law[0] [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conway's_law

Yeah, way ahead of you on that one. http://infiniteundo.com/post/87172935713/first-rule-of-hacke...