NYCPHP Meetup

[Kenneth Downs]

> Now, starting my new job in NY I am at a larger company that is much more
> successful than my last. However,
>
> I am constantly running into files with no comments, spaghetti structure
> (or
> non at all) limited includes (large amounts of duplicate code) and NO
> specs
> what-so-ever on an extremely large project & database(s) with 100's of
> stored procedures (again with no comments).
>

I had the exact same experience.  The truth of the matter was stated very
precisely in the above two paragraphs, greater success can be achieved
with lower quality, by throwing out all of the time-consuming tasks from
your higher-quality previous experience.

This is often hard for programmers to understand, because we are idealists
and think everything should be perfect.  But Bill Gates did not become the
richest man in the world by delivering quality, he rushed garbage to
market because people will gladly choose garbage that's available today
over the promise of perfection tomorrow.

There are also complex political issues that serve to insulate decision
makers from the consequences of bad decisions.  An CTO cannot complain
that the vendor is handing him garbage because he'll lose his job for
picking the vendor.  The vendor has to protect the CTO by at very least
taking care of whatever issue may get him fired that day, and screw the
rest of it.

It works great if you are at a VP level or higher, but for everyone else
its hell.


-- 
Kenneth Downs
Secure Data Software
631-379-0010
ken at secdat.com
PO Box 708
East Setauket, NY 11733