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The Human Dimension of Software Engineering

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12 Reasons To Avoid Individual Code Ownership

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Coding is a form of art, and artists are very attached to their pieces. That visceral attachment is what makes programmers passionate and intense. That can be a good thing, but it can also lead to problems.

Unless the entire development organization has only one or two developers, individual code ownership is a dangerous disease. I do not recommend it, nor encourage it for many reasons.
#1 - Emotional Attachment to Code Hurts The Collective Wisdom.
Programmers that identify with their code … [Read more...] about 12 Reasons To Avoid Individual Code Ownership

Muddy words, messy thinkers and bad code

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Muddy words
You are not alone if you heard someone giving a speech containing words that, at close inspection, sum up to nothing. You are also not alone if you interviewed someone who answered questions with vocal noise that filled the air without giving any meaningful answer.

I have a name for noise disguised as words; probably not an original one: I call it "muddy words." People who keep speaking with muddy words are not afflicted by the inability to communicate; they are afflicted — at … [Read more...] about Muddy words, messy thinkers and bad code

Making babies, emotions and code reviews

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Making a baby by typing code

A man approaches you holding a baby. He looks at the bundle with loving eyes before turning his gaze to you. “What do you think?”, he says, “He is my baby! I bathed him, dressed him and brushed his hair. I just finished, barely in time for the deadline. Isn’t he beautiful? What do you think?”

You study the child for a few minutes, without saying a word. The man waits, standing in front of you, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, moving his gaze from you … [Read more...] about Making babies, emotions and code reviews