secretGeek.net52 great reasons to fail at software
Subtitle: I just gave you 51 great excuses and you're still pushing that 'people' crap??
Earlier in the week I wrote "51 Core Abilities of Successful Software" in which i gave conclusive evidence that successful software is technically impossible.
Yesterday, Jeff Atwood posts "No Matter What They Tell You, It's a People Problem" giving a compelling and utterly convincing argument that ultimately the reason for failure is 'people'.
This argument always reminds me of the film, Soylent Green, in which it's ultimately revealed that the government is rationing out human flesh as the new staple diet:
[last lines]
Det. Thorn It's people. Soylent Green is made out of people. They're making our food out of people. Next thing they'll be breeding us like cattle for food. You've gotta tell them. You've gotta tell them!
Hatcher I promise, Tiger. I promise. I'll tell the exchange.
Det. Thorn You tell everybody. Listen to me, Hatcher. You've gotta tell them! Soylent Green is people! We've gotta stop them somehow!
And yes... I agree.. but the HR Weasel in me says "it's not people, it's personnel!"
[last lines]
Bruce It's personnel. Software is made out of personnel. They're making our code out of employees. Next thing they'll be breeding us like cubicle-cattle for off-shoring. You've gotta tell them. You've gotta tell them!
Jeff I promise, Bruce. I promise. I'll tell the internets.
Bruce You tell everybody at Digg. Listen to me, Jeff. You've gotta tell Del.Icio.us! Tell programming.reddit.com! Software is people! We've gotta stop them somehow!
And when you're a tiny little micro-isv, it's not personnel: it's personal. As in,
"This time, it's personal!" [1] But you know - I'm just adding Jeff's assertion to my own: so now there's 52 great reasons to fail at software.
Hey, I like that. I'll make it the heading and blog this crazy shit!
52 great reasons to fail at software
[1] what is the source of that tag-line? One of the rambo films? one of the Rockies? All of the rambo films and all of the rocky films?
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