Re: RE: Performance Review

["Mike Naughton" <mnaughton@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I think most of us became programmers because (among other things) we like
building what my math teachers used to call "elegant solutions". I think
one of the hardest lessons to learn is the truth of the phrase, "the best
is the enemy of the good". This is a very important concept, especially in
the business world. The choice between T.S. and T.C. (Total Cr*p) is
obvious, but what about the choice between T.S. and "good enough".  The
phrase says it all -- it's good enough, it has no significant flaws, it
will work fine. What's the problem? Some of us would say, "well, it's not
T.S.", but a lot of people -- especially managers -- would reply "so
what?". And they have a point -- why should they pay more (in time, money,
or both) for something with no significant benefits?

IMHO, people who insist their customers will receive only their best work
are artists -- and they exist in every profession. People who are happy to
give their customers "good enough" are craftsmen, and that's just a
different philosophy about their product. It's not better or worse, just
different. And I think most of us, when it comes down to it, choose
craftsmen for most of what we want in life, and artists for those few
things we really care about. . . .

MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com writes:
>I know the points you are making are true, Ed, but it's not what us geeks
>want to hear.  Would you feel the same way about the T.S. solution if it
>was
>an architech designing your house (or even worse, the building in which
>you
>were going to be occupying the 30th floor)?  
>
>Doesn't anyone care about quality engineering?  A bunch of un-educated
>carpenters from the union hall could slap together a bridge and come in
>on-time and under-budget and probably have a good time doing it, but I
>sure
>wouldn't want to have to drive on it every day.


Mike Naughton
Senior Programmer/Analyst
Judd Wire, Inc.
124 Turnpike Road
Turners Falls, MA  01376
413-863-4357 x444
mnaughton@juddwire.com

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