http://www.softwarebyrob.com/2006/11/30/top-20-programming-lessons-learned-in-20-years/ Passionate about Startups and MicroISVs Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:42:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 http://www.softwarebyrob.com/2006/11/30/top-20-programming-lessons-learned-in-20-years/comment-page-1/#comment-328 admin Sat, 02 Dec 2006 18:30:31 +0000 http://www.softwarebyrob.com/2006/11/30/top-20-programming-lessons-learned-in-20-years/#comment-328 The list was actually put together by JD at DCS media. I don't think it took him 20 years to figure them out, rather after 20 years, these are the most important lessons he's learned about programming. That's a subtle, yet substantial, difference. The list was actually put together by JD at DCS media. I don’t think it took him 20 years to figure them out, rather after 20 years, these are the most important lessons he’s learned about programming. That’s a subtle, yet substantial, difference.

]]> http://www.softwarebyrob.com/2006/11/30/top-20-programming-lessons-learned-in-20-years/comment-page-1/#comment-327 http:// Sat, 02 Dec 2006 09:44:05 +0000 http://www.softwarebyrob.com/2006/11/30/top-20-programming-lessons-learned-in-20-years/#comment-327 Nice list, but with all due respect: this took you 20 years to figure out...? ;-) Nice list, but with all due respect: this took you 20 years to figure out…?

]]> http://www.softwarebyrob.com/2006/11/30/top-20-programming-lessons-learned-in-20-years/comment-page-1/#comment-326 admin Fri, 01 Dec 2006 17:43:19 +0000 http://www.softwarebyrob.com/2006/11/30/top-20-programming-lessons-learned-in-20-years/#comment-326 Excellent points, Casper. I'll likely touch on some of them in future posts. Excellent points, Casper. I’ll likely touch on some of them in future posts.

]]> http://www.softwarebyrob.com/2006/11/30/top-20-programming-lessons-learned-in-20-years/comment-page-1/#comment-325 http:// Fri, 01 Dec 2006 13:28:40 +0000 http://www.softwarebyrob.com/2006/11/30/top-20-programming-lessons-learned-in-20-years/#comment-325 - The waterfall model is a fallacy; don’t succumb to its idealistic but unrealistic view. - Customers never know what they want, yet they don’t understand why this can be so hard for you to find out. - Use two phase contracting, first learn what and how to construct as a baseline, and then sign off on the actual construction. - You will never arrive at complete requirement coverage, nor should you. Deal with the complex and uncertain domain issues for the baseline. - Software is not manufactured, it is grown; the tools involved may be engineering based but the process and mindset requires just as much creativity. - Quality simply takes time, better to think of this as maturity and account for this in the plan. - Don't optimize too early, it feels good but can lead you astray. - Watch out for gold plating, it feels good but can lead you astray. - Software can not be planned; it can have a target deadline and dynamic estimates but watch out for management trying to merge these. - Only developers can do estimates and the quality of these improve over time during the project. - Estimates are always overly optimistic, try to err on the pessimistic side since it is cheaper and cause less stress. - Software degrades over time; maintenance fixes/tweaks/hacks have a tendency to ignore the large picture and add complexity. ...prolly more, but I should get back to work now. - The waterfall model is a fallacy; don’t succumb to its idealistic but unrealistic view. – Customers never know what they want, yet they don’t understand why this can be so hard for you to find out. – Use two phase contracting, first learn what and how to construct as a baseline, and then sign off on the actual construction. – You will never arrive at complete requirement coverage, nor should you. Deal with the complex and uncertain domain issues for the baseline. – Software is not manufactured, it is grown; the tools involved may be engineering based but the process and mindset requires just as much creativity. – Quality simply takes time, better to think of this as maturity and account for this in the plan. – Don’t optimize too early, it feels good but can lead you astray. – Watch out for gold plating, it feels good but can lead you astray. – Software can not be planned; it can have a target deadline and dynamic estimates but watch out for management trying to merge these. – Only developers can do estimates and the quality of these improve over time during the project. – Estimates are always overly optimistic, try to err on the pessimistic side since it is cheaper and cause less stress. – Software degrades over time; maintenance fixes/tweaks/hacks have a tendency to ignore the large picture and add complexity. …prolly more, but I should get back to work now.

]]> http://www.softwarebyrob.com/2006/11/30/top-20-programming-lessons-learned-in-20-years/comment-page-1/#comment-324 Bill Pierce Fri, 01 Dec 2006 00:11:40 +0000 http://www.softwarebyrob.com/2006/11/30/top-20-programming-lessons-learned-in-20-years/#comment-324 I think the most often missed lesson is "No Project is ever simple" I think the most often missed lesson is “No Project is ever simple”

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