Bad Software Advice: Three Interesting Links #2
And YABR - Yet Another Book Recommendation
In defense of simple architectures
Dan Luu’s site is one where you open one post, start reading it, hate the formatting so much you begin to have GeoCities flashbacks, then you keep reading and click some of the links, and the next thing you know you have spent an entire afternoon in Luu’s head. It is a good use of an afternoon.
Why software projects take longer than you think: a statistical model
I’m sick of people making jokes that aren’t jokes when discussing estimation - things like “pick a number, double it, then have the project manager double it again, then do your best to not be too late”. Hofstader’’s Law, etc. It is tough to predict how long software will take, but just giving up is not a real solution. It isn’t engineering, it isn’t quality, and it isn’t helpful. We should all be committed to improving in this area, even if our solution is to work in two-week sprints and never give deadlines. Also, Rules of Thumb for Software Development Estimations
Also:
Build Times and Developer Productivity
Unsolicited Book Recommendation
Facts and Fallacies of Software Engineering
Read this book out loud at work to start arguments. I am sure there is something in this book that will make you nod your head, scratch it, and then think about it some more because they express things you intuitively know but have never seen in print. And I’m sure you will also disagree strongly with something in this book. I recommend the print version so that you can make notes, throw it if needed, and save buying another Kindle.