Why Software Sucks
We are experimenting with a couple of new ideas for the JaxDUG meetings (for example, Jonathan's Code Katas session is planned for December), so we started incorporating a 5-10 minute book review each month. Depending on users' interest, we will continue or drop it in the future. As I warned Jonathan though, people will be stuck with my eccentric literature choices unless someone else volunteers for these brief presentations (e-mail me or post the comments to this blog entry if interested). For my next review, I'll take on something more .Net software engineer-friendly, namely, the "Learning WCF: A Hands-on Guide" by Michelle Bustamante.
For the first book review this past Wednesday, I emphasized that the free books we get at Microsoft sessions could actually be quite interesting. A good example of this is 'Why Software Sucks' by David Platt. Since it was one of the last freebies to go at the Jax Architects meeting, I expected that book to become best buddies with "Developing ActiveX controls with Visual Basic 6.0" inside my spacious closet. But, surprisingly, I found it insightful and entertaining.
To briefly recap my presentation:
The main point of the book, which is written by a software engineer for non-technical folk by the way, is: "Know your user, for she is not you." Throughout the chapters, the author drives the point home that we, the geeks, build software for the geeks and not for the real users. The poor paper clip of Office 97 gets a heavy pounding as the biggest waste of programming time ever in Chapter 1, which deals with user interface design and usability testing. Starbucks and UPS get lambasted in Chapter 2 for their user-unfriendly web sites. Chapters 3 and 4 talk about security and the annoying "You must register for this web site" requirements of the millions of web sites these days, the requirements that actually make the universe less secure, according to the author. Dave Platt also touches on the psychology of the geeks, and postulates (yes, I am a proud geek for using that word!) that software would have been much more user-friendly if we had more women entering the field. Obviously, one man's opinion that I tend to agree with, but that has triggered some discussion during the meeting (a very, very good thing!).
Whether you agree or disagree with the points raised by Dave Platt, I still believe that you will find his style of writing entertaining and full of golden nuggets of information (the origin of the word "debugging," for instance). It is also full of Microsoft jokes, and I give Microsoft major props for giving away the book in which the company is made fun of (in a harmless kind of the way, of course). I'd give this book a 4-out-of-4 stars, but it's probably because my view of the software world perfectly matches Dave Platt's perspective.
Gartner on 14 Delivery Models Transforming IT
Yet another "Run for Cover if you are a software geek!" article from the consulting powerhouse that brought us the big three letters transforming the industry (S, O, and A, voted as the most confusing acronym of the year, BTW). The way I interpreted all 14 points was that techology, both hardware and software, is going to be increasingly outsourced due to IT services becoming a simple commodity, similar to electricity and water. Basically, the "IT Doesn't Matter" by Nicholas G. Carr deja vu. The original piece by Mr. Carr sent the technology community through the roof (just google or "live search" the "IT Doesn't Matter"), with rebuttals that we, the geeks, matter a lot to the enterprise.
Verbatim, this is what Mr. Margevicius said:
"[There are] parallels between these future simplifications of IT with the evolution of other important infrastructure services once maintained by businesses at large.
For example, there was a time businesses used to concern themselves with generating their own electricity or providing their own telecommunications service. In each case, as new methods of delivery emerged, they were able to take advantage of the service without maintaining the requisite infrastructure."
My personal opinion (and hey, that's what this blog is for, right--to express my personal opinions) is that a well-nurtured, talented internal IT force will always be a major asset to the company. Just as the owner (or part-owner) of the local restaurant is much more likely to provide you with the great customer service than one of the temporary employees, the internal IT staff with the strategic role in the enterprise is much more likely to implement the technological solutions that will drive business growth and/or reduce costs. It could be as simple as identifying areas within technology that need improvement (and those are omnipresent), and as complex as building the next generation of business analysis tools for the enterprise. That human element of IT, the fact that we are not just a group of cyborgs with a 3-line instruction set "Veni. Vidi. Codi." (sorry, Apple) is what I believe does make the IT strategic. The ability to nurture that talent, play on everyone's strengths, is what can deliver that strategic advantage to businesses.
Of course, now if only all of the managers thought the same way...
Whether you think I am right on or full of ya-know-what, I'd love to hear from you, so let me have it...