Good. The world is full of half-baked products produced to an artificial
schedule. We've grown to accept them as a matter of course, and I think that
is the real problem. Books that are rushed to print with issues left
because 'there isn't time' for anymore changes, recalls on cars, software
that is buggy as all hell - and I DO NOT just mean the Internet related
stuff. Countless ergonomic blunders in everyday designs, etc.
The entire system is flawed, and I hope the Internet industry doesn't go
down that path or we'll end up with another industry full of mediocre
crap - but it will be on time.
Everything will be just like Microsoft products - bloated, buggy, obtuse,
and popular with the masses who don't know better.
Before I go into networking I worked for a company that made infrared
spectroscopy equipment. Shortly after I started there *I* found a fundamental
flaw in the thermodynamic design of the core product. When I pointed it out
I was told that it was well known - but they didn't want to change it because
it would mean changing all the design docs, the drawings, and delaying
production. And besides "it works well enough, it shouldn't be a problem for
most users". Gotta stick to the schedule, and all that rigid procedure
just made everyone less likely to do something about any issues - who wants
that hassle?
I've run into the same thing at almost every job I've had, Internet or not.
In college I worked in a factory one summer. I can't believe how many
jackass stupid things were being done just to meet schedules and policy,
up to and including causing safety hazards for workers.
Well, gotta have a date you know, gotta do whatever it takes to meet this
dumbass artificial schedule.
>years, I think I am qualified to speak on this point. I have managed many
>projects where setting dates *and hitting them* with finished, functional
>products was precisely what I was paid to do.
Easy to do - set the date out past the point you reasonably expect to be done.
Like I say, December 1st. I can ALWAYS set a date and beat it, or meet it.
I've done it when I've had managers who are date minded. I'll give them a
date to get them off my back, knowing full well I'll beat it.
>not alone in these endeavors or successes, I have to say flat-out that it
>is NOT impossible.
Not impossible, but I think the idea is a BAD one to the core. If you
want a company that does it that way, use Ascend.
Oh wait, you *DID* use Ascend Karl - gee, why did you dump them? Need I
go into the archives and pull up your words on the subject? They set dates,
and they tend to meet them too.
>It does require that the "cowboy" mentality be divorced from the engineering
>group, however, sometimes to be accomplished by the forceful separation of
>employment for the people who can't manage to live and work with real
Who will then go and start a company with better products and take back
the market. Anyone who has the slightest knowledge of history, not even
just computer history, has seen examples of that. You get rid of them and
you have a plodding group of workers who are merely sufficent to do the
grunt work. They can churn out products of passable quality at best.
-MZ
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