I hope you're not implying that this is a NEW knowledge set, Aaron.
New to the IT industry? C'mon Joe, give me more credit than that :-) Of
course maybe I don't deserve it given I wasn't alive back then ;-)
The flip side is that this concept will be new to each person, and thus they
will have to either learn it from the ground up or have somebody train them
in the concepts. I have learned it mostly out of a couple project's
necessities vs. being well trained in the subject matter - though I would
love to read a book about the specific topic!
On a final note, I agree of your assessments of programmer personalities.
Interesting how social aspects can make or break a good design, or rather,
keep a good design from coming into existence. I must admit that every once
in awhile I have to shed technical arrogance and make sure I am being
objective - which is what I am trying to do with this thread by addressing
particular points of potential failure so we can all learn about best
approaches to GUI front-ends for the i5.
Aaron Bartell
http://mowyourlawn.com
-----Original Message-----
From: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Joe Pluta
Sent: Monday, October 08, 2007 10:04 AM
To: 'Midrange Systems Technical Discussion'
Subject: Multi-platform architectures
From: albartell
This topic is interesting because it really demands another knowledge
set in today's software developer - the ability to understand
long-term effects of adopting new software on different platforms and
in different languages.
I hope you're not implying that this is a NEW knowledge set, Aaron. We've
been doing this sort of thing for thirty years now. Originally it was with
dedicated microprocessor-based devices (things like Xerox printers or
standalone communications boxes), and then in the early 80s it was with PCs.
It's not easy; it requires relying on other people and admitting that your
particular expertise isn't the best one for every problem, so in today's
rather territorial world of programming, it doesn't go over very well. But
if you have a true team of programmers working together, you can handle
program distribution just as well as any other part of the puzzle.
What really doesn't work in this environment is the "Code Cowboy" mentality.
Digital Divas tend to screw up multi-platform architectures because they
fight everything they don't know, often because they want to be known as the
experts in everything. These same people can't explain to others why they
do things because often they themselves don't really know, it's just "the
way they do things." And you should bow to their superior knowledge.
The only way a multi-platform architecture works is when you have really
bright people assigned to different areas and one strong-willed SOB of a
manager whose job is to understand enough of all the technologies to make
the hard calls and have everyone hate him.
Maybe that's why I was so good at it <grin>.
Joe
midrange.com
