The author makes some great points that I initially wanted to dismiss, but I think are actually really interesting. Unlike many other types of engineering/craft, most experienced software developers have settled on an aversion to perfectionism. A good carpenter wants to build a solid house even if no one will ever see its frame. Ditto to an auto engineer at BMW, or a hardware engineer at Apple, or a mechanical engineer at Boeing.
Why do software engineers break this mold? I think it's because building software is inherently cheap, which means it's easy for a large number of people to build things without an obvious economic incentive, which means there's often a product misalignment. When someone builds a house or a car, they are certain their product will get used. Most software, on the other hand, never sees heavy use. Probably 90% of what I've built over my career has never been used, and I've had a productive career.
The most rational thing in software is to ship something functional, then perfect it after it's been proven to be useful and popular. I can see why someone with a craftsman's mind would hate this. I feel a sort of disgust with myself when I ship shitty code, but ultimately I know it's what makes me so productive and valuable to my employers. This disconnect is real, and it's worth talking about.
Why do software engineers break this mold? I think it's because building software is inherently cheap, which means it's easy for a large number of people to build things without an obvious economic incentive, which means there's often a product misalignment. When someone builds a house or a car, they are certain their product will get used. Most software, on the other hand, never sees heavy use. Probably 90% of what I've built over my career has never been used, and I've had a productive career.
The most rational thing in software is to ship something functional, then perfect it after it's been proven to be useful and popular. I can see why someone with a craftsman's mind would hate this. I feel a sort of disgust with myself when I ship shitty code, but ultimately I know it's what makes me so productive and valuable to my employers. This disconnect is real, and it's worth talking about.