Comments on: Sharing Project Knowledge With Your Peers http://blog.qualityaspect.com/2006/05/02/sharing-project-knowledge-with-your-peers/ Lidor Wyssocky's Blog on Optimizing Software Development Fri, 25 Jul 2008 11:08:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5.2 Comment on Sharing Project Knowledge With Your Peers by: Lidor Wyssocky http://blog.qualityaspect.com/2006/05/02/sharing-project-knowledge-with-your-peers/#comment-219 Wed, 03 May 2006 16:44:33 +0000 http://blog.qualityaspect.com/2006/05/02/sharing-project-knowledge-with-your-peers/#comment-219 Rufus, I am sorry you feel this way. I never said I think "software developers suck at developing software". I do think that we (as an industry) still have a long way to go. Compared to other industries, our products are not of high quality. There are always exceptions, but I think most people will agree with that statement. Just think of common software products you use (not the ones you create). Are you 100% satisfied with them? If you are, you are lucky! There are many reason for that, but the part of the developers cannot be ignored. This does not mean that most developers are not talented people. The opposite is true. But being a professional developer is something one needs to learn. Universities and business organizations are not doing enough to promote this professionalism. The problem is not with the developers, but with the environment that does not systematically encourage professionalism. Lidor Rufus,

I am sorry you feel this way. I never said I think “software developers suck at developing software”. I do think that we (as an industry) still have a long way to go.

Compared to other industries, our products are not of high quality. There are always exceptions, but I think most people will agree with that statement. Just think of common software products you use (not the ones you create). Are you 100% satisfied with them? If you are, you are lucky!

There are many reason for that, but the part of the developers cannot be ignored.

This does not mean that most developers are not talented people. The opposite is true. But being a professional developer is something one needs to learn. Universities and business organizations are not doing enough to promote this professionalism.

The problem is not with the developers, but with the environment that does not systematically encourage professionalism.

Lidor

]]> Comment on Sharing Project Knowledge With Your Peers by: Rufus http://blog.qualityaspect.com/2006/05/02/sharing-project-knowledge-with-your-peers/#comment-218 Wed, 03 May 2006 15:41:54 +0000 http://blog.qualityaspect.com/2006/05/02/sharing-project-knowledge-with-your-peers/#comment-218 "a great part of the code written today is far from being high quality code." "If 20% (for example) of the developers have already mastered design and coding, they are capable of being good reviewers and mentors. But the other 80% still need to build their experience." Thanks. You pretty much proved my point. You clearly believe software developers suck at developing software. And clearly your mentoring/nurturing scheme is not intended for skilled developers, it's for people who don't know how to design and code. “a great part of the code written today is far from being high quality code.”

“If 20% (for example) of the developers have already mastered design and coding, they are capable of being good reviewers and mentors. But the other 80% still need to build their experience.”

Thanks. You pretty much proved my point. You clearly believe software developers suck at developing software.

And clearly your mentoring/nurturing scheme is not intended for skilled developers, it’s for people who don’t know how to design and code.

]]> Comment on Sharing Project Knowledge With Your Peers by: Lidor Wyssocky http://blog.qualityaspect.com/2006/05/02/sharing-project-knowledge-with-your-peers/#comment-214 Wed, 03 May 2006 10:10:45 +0000 http://blog.qualityaspect.com/2006/05/02/sharing-project-knowledge-with-your-peers/#comment-214 <p> One more note: </p><p><strong>Most people are not born professionals. They have to grow to become ones. </strong></p><p>This cannot happen by itself. Merely having X years of &#34;experience&#34; is not enough. The role of a professional mentor is to nurture professionalism, not only for interns, but for anyone who needs it. </p><p>Lidor</p> One more note:

Most people are not born professionals. They have to grow to become ones.

This cannot happen by itself. Merely having X years of "experience" is not enough.

The role of a professional mentor is to nurture professionalism, not only for interns, but for anyone who needs it.

Lidor

]]> Comment on Sharing Project Knowledge With Your Peers by: Lidor Wyssocky http://blog.qualityaspect.com/2006/05/02/sharing-project-knowledge-with-your-peers/#comment-212 Wed, 03 May 2006 09:26:21 +0000 http://blog.qualityaspect.com/2006/05/02/sharing-project-knowledge-with-your-peers/#comment-212 <p> Hi Rufus, </p><p>Nothing could be further away from the truth. Please refer to my article <a href="http://articles.qualityaspect.com/the-making-of-professionals/">The Making of Professionals</a>. I have nothing but respect for the capabilities of developers. Otherwise, I wouldn't have suggested that they <strong>can</strong> become professionals.&#160; </p><p>Most developers are capable of mastering design and coding. Most of them want to do just that. But the fact is that a great part of the code written today is far from being high quality code. </p><p>The reason is lack of supportive environment and lack of guided experience. Peer reviews are not an effective method for promoting this. </p><p>If 20% (for example) of the developers have already mastered design and coding, they are capable of being good reviewers and mentors. But the other 80% still need to build their experience. With arbitrary peer reviews, they generally won't be able to do that. </p><p>Lidor</p> Hi Rufus,

Nothing could be further away from the truth. Please refer to my article The Making of Professionals. I have nothing but respect for the capabilities of developers. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have suggested that they can become professionals. 

Most developers are capable of mastering design and coding. Most of them want to do just that. But the fact is that a great part of the code written today is far from being high quality code.

The reason is lack of supportive environment and lack of guided experience. Peer reviews are not an effective method for promoting this.

If 20% (for example) of the developers have already mastered design and coding, they are capable of being good reviewers and mentors. But the other 80% still need to build their experience. With arbitrary peer reviews, they generally won’t be able to do that.

Lidor

]]> Comment on Sharing Project Knowledge With Your Peers by: Rufus http://blog.qualityaspect.com/2006/05/02/sharing-project-knowledge-with-your-peers/#comment-211 Wed, 03 May 2006 03:06:17 +0000 http://blog.qualityaspect.com/2006/05/02/sharing-project-knowledge-with-your-peers/#comment-211 I think the reason I don't see eye-to-eye with you on your "professional reviewer" concept is that you have a very very very low opinion of software developers. Why else would you say, <a href="http://blog.qualityaspect.com/2006/04/05/are-your-code-reviews-effective/#comment-199" rel="nofollow">"The focus of what I suggest is on mentoring developers to help them become professionals"</a>? If your mentoring scheme is only intended for interns, then I have no problem with it. But if you believe that developers (people who haven't graduated from programming to management or mentoring or consulting) aren't bright enough to go over design issues during a code review, then I think you could not be more wrong. I think the reason I don’t see eye-to-eye with you on your “professional reviewer” concept is that you have a very very very low opinion of software developers. Why else would you say, “The focus of what I suggest is on mentoring developers to help them become professionals”?

If your mentoring scheme is only intended for interns, then I have no problem with it. But if you believe that developers (people who haven’t graduated from programming to management or mentoring or consulting) aren’t bright enough to go over design issues during a code review, then I think you could not be more wrong.

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