June, 2009

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Jun 09

Developers Switching to the Mac

Mark Nutter writes about Why Developers are Switching to Mac.

“Unfortunately, Windows doesn’t come bundled with PHP, Rails, or any other open-source web development frameworks or languages any time soon. More and more of what we do is in the cloud these days anyways and it is almost starting to feel quaint when you come across new software that runs solely as a desktop client. Microsoft has painted themselves into a corner – they rely on closed formats and standards in a world where open source software, open formats, and open standards are king.”

I have to agree. I know very few web developers that have Windows and like it. Most “Web 2.0″ developers I know already have Mac’s, or are planning to switch soon, which makes me wonder what that will happen long term … if all future software is on the web (which seems to be the case more and more each year), and all of that is developed on non-Microsoft tools, will Microsoft cease to be relevant?

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Jun 09

Bring-me-a-Rock Schedule Game

Johanna Rothman writes about the bizarre, but oft-practiced, scheduling game Bring me a Rock:

If this is your first visit to the OC, you’re a bit nervous. After all, these are the executives of the company. You start talking about the project, the benefits to the company, and then a stentorian voice rings out, “When will it be done?”

You think to yourself, Ok, we’ll skip to the end. Aloud, you say, “June 30.” The COO, the owner of the stentorian voice says, “Sorry, not good enough. Give me another date.” You think for a few seconds, and say, “Well, if we cut this feature, we could maybe make June 15.” “NOT GOOD ENOUGH”, exclaims the COO. You’re confused,“ Well, what date did you have in mind?” “I certainly don’t know. You’re the project manager. You tell me.”

Now you’re stuck. Clearly the COO is looking for a particular answer. But what is the right answer? If your palms weren’t sweaty before, they are now. Welcome to the Bring-me-a-rock schedule game.

Very well worth the read.

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Jun 09

Can you do it faster?

Abby Fichtner relates management scheduling games:

“I will actually sit there, stupefied, trying to reason some sense out of what they [managers] tell me.”Well, of course there’s no time for us to do things the right way. BUT, if you can just deliver this 6 month project in a 3 month period, that leaves you a whole 3 extra months to clean things up!” Uhhhhh.”

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