On Tue, 2007-05-15 at 14:44 -0700, Andrew Lentvorski wrote: > Paul G. Allen wrote: > > > Even toward the end of the courses, in the final classes before > > graduation, an alarming number of people would still discount the idea > > (which was taught class after class) that the number one criteria for > > choosing software is will it do the job, not who makes it or how popular > > it is. > > Yes and no. > > The ability to find developers and assign blame also plays into that > equation. > > If you choose the non-mainstream decision, when the project blows up > (and the probability is that it will), you and your decisions will take > all the heat.
Why is it a probability that it will? It sounds as though you're saying that because everyone else does it, then it must be the way it has to be done, despite any other factors. > > It doesn't matter that you got 3 times as far as you would have > otherwise. The project blew up; you made those non-mainstream > decisions; you are at fault. > > You people talk like corporate decision making is about choosing > correctly. It is not. It is about avoiding blame. > I certainly hope that's not what is taught in school. Though, to look at the corporate decisions that are made today, I fear it is. Which is why many poor decisions are made. There is a often a difference between making the right decision and making the one that saves your ass. I've found, in every case, that my ass is covered by making an informed decision instead of making the decision that might appear to avoid blame because it's what everyone else would do. The last couple of projects I worked on I decided upon technology that most others would not use because after the research I did, I decided that what I chose was the best thing for the job. For the first project, it was canned and given to someone else to finish using a more mainstream set of technology. Well, it is still not finished and does not work. My original version works fine, and we will be moving back to it soon. Initially I was put at fault for it not working, but because I made the informed decision (not just one to remove blame from myself), it was found that I had made the correct choice in the first place. My ass was covered. For the second project, it works far better than the previous version ever did. My ass is covered again. Corporate decision making is only about avoiding blame when performed by those who should never be making the decision in the first place. That's not what it's about, but instead it's how it's turned out in too many cases. PGA -- The information contained in this e-mail message is confidential, intended only for the use of the individual or entity named above. If the reader of this e-mail is not the intended recipient, or the employee or agent responsible to deliver it to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any review, dissemination, distribution or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] Paul G. Allen Software Engineer BSIT/SE Quake Global, Inc. 858-277-7290 x285 -- [email protected] http://www.kernel-panic.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/kplug-list
