[CLUE-Tech] Data models, diagrams, process models documentation

[Sean LeBlanc]

On 08-17 14:23, Kevin Cullis wrote:
> On Sun, 2003-08-17 at 13:47, Sean LeBlanc wrote:
> > 
> > Oh yeah, and Dave mentioned CM. I can't tell you how many times I've heard
> > "huh?" when this was mentioned. So I'd say, "uh, CM means 'configuration
> > management'". And...you guessed it - the reply to that was, "what's
> > configuration management?" I'm not kidding, and even the explanation of what
> > configuration management means made eyes gloss over. No wonder software
> > projects fail, what, 1/2 of the time? :) 
> > 
> 
> Try 70-80% of the time!! Here's a link:
> 
> http://www.findarticles.com/cf_0/m0COW/2002_Nov_21/94502429/p1/article.jhtml
> 
> > It's rather interesting to take a look around people in this field actually
> > getting paid for it and that know so little about it. I remember trying to
> > describe what Ant is to a co-worker (remember, this is someone who is
> > supposed to be a developer):
> 
> There is a big difference between being stupid, lacking talent, and
> being ignorant.
> 
> Stupid: I can't think.
> Lacking talent:  Asking any artsy person to fix a computer (could, but
> may not happen).
> Ignorant: I'm not stupid, I just haven't had the time of inclination to
> learn it. Does not knowing how a telephone works prevent me from using
> it? Not hardly, but knowing more about may make me more productive.
> 
> 
> > 
> > Me: "It's like 'make', but for Java." 
> > Co-worker: "What's 'make'?"
> > Me: "Uh...." <thinking, 'Hoo boy'>
> > 
> > People reading this who don't know me very well might think I'm an arrogant
> > ass, but I'm not, really. I just care about my craft, I guess.
> 
> Nothing wrong about caring about your craft, I wish more would, but then
> the PHBs would get out of the way a lot more.  But do spend some time
> educating those that are ignorant, but you can leave the stupid ones
> behind and let the less ignorant ones to help them.  You just
> concentrate on those that are one level below you AND want to learn.

True. The problem is, there is only so much you can do...and I certainly
don't have the answers or think I'm on some mountaintop handing down wisdom.
I just think that in order to really be effective at whatever you do, you
should seek better ways of doing it, whether this be through exploring new
tools, languages, or methods. 

The person mentioned in above conversation was someone supposedly developing
for 2 or 3 years in Java! Of course, it goes without saying that they read
no Java-related mags, never went to a user group, never heard of ACM, Dr.
Dobbs, Mythical Man-Month, Peopleware, UML, CMM, etc, and absolutely no
interest, either...while none of these things will necessarily make a better
programmer or manager, it shows that the individual at least has an
awareness and an interest in what they do. 

Someone can point the way, but after that, it really has to be up to to an
individual to do the work themselves. If they don't, then as far as I'm
concerned, they fall into the one of the above categories along with the
lazy/indifferent category. Trying to make someone else understand some of
these things is like the old standby fiscal conservatives use regarding
attempts to raise people out of poverty: it's comparable to trying to make
someone else fit by working out for them...


-- 
Sean LeBlanc:seanleblanc at americanisp.net  
http://users.americanisp.net/~seanleblanc/
Get MLAC at: http://sourceforge.net/projects/mlac/
Experience is what you got by not having it when you need it. 
(contributed by Chris Johnston)