Date: Sat, 4 Jul 1998 00:42:39 -0600 (MDT) From: Wes Peters <wes@softweyr.com> To: gpalmer@FreeBSD.ORG, tlambert@primenet.com Cc: jgrosch@superior.mooseriver.com, mike@smith.net.au, wheelman@nuc.net, steve.a@cableinet.co.uk, chat@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: A Little Cancer Patient need Your Attention Message-ID: <199807040642.AAA02488@softweyr.com> In-Reply-To: <199807021915.MAA25347@usr06.primenet.com> References: <199807021915.MAA25347@usr06.primenet.com>
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My hidden microphone recorded Terry Lambert (tlambert@primenet.com) saying:
% In any case, the net upshot should be "do the right thing the right
% way", or as Seneca, the stoic philosopher from the 4th decate AD
% stated in his _Letters From A Stoic_:
%
% Never substitute activity for action.
%
% If you expect to have to live with the consequences of your actions,
% then these are words to live by.
Terry is right, there are very few organizations who take the time to consider
the consequences of their code. A partial reason for this is the general
assumption the consequences will be "some customer will get pissed, but won't
be able to return the goods because he doesn't have the power/it'll be too
difficult/nobody ever does that."
My first job out of school, I worked for one of the companies that has
specialized in considering the consequences of computer code: Logicon, now a
division of Northrup-Grumman. My first job involved analyzing the math
library used by the Fortran compiler that produced the Minuteman II targeting
program, PROVING that it produced mathematically correct code. My second job
was as the point man on the team that tested the command and control system
for Peacekeeper (the missile formerly known as MX). You have no idea what an
education in RESPONSIBILITY it was to consider the consequences of some code
screwing up and accidentally launching one of these beasts. Our boss, a
wonderful manager named Mary Ann Hayes, did an incredible job of keeping us
focused on the job at hand while gently reminding us of the importance of our
work, on how critical it was to be absolutely thorough.
It has given me quite a different mindset throughout my career; I've often
been "pulled off" a problem by management when they decided I had solved it
thoroughly enough and I wanted to continue pursuing it. With experience, I've
learned to balance my reactions somewhat better and to ask how far I should go
in solving a problem, although I'd often prefer to take the solution clear to
the bitter end.
I am certainly not claiming to be perfect, but I have noticed a different
mindset amongst coworkers who have this kind of military background; it isn't
a greater attention to quality so much as a different way of looking at it.
It's not such much "how much do I have to do to keep this from crashing" as it
is "what's the worst thing that could happen if this screws up, and how much
do I have to do to prevent THAT from keeping me awake at night?"
--
"Where am I, and what am I doing in this handbasket?"
Wes Peters Softweyr LLC
http://www.softweyr.com/~softweyr wes@softweyr.com
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