All software sucks (was: linux newbie)

[Ted Roche]

On Jan 15, 2007, at 9:43 PM, Ben Scott wrote:

>  Even better.  The developer doesn't even know why it works or when  
> it breaks.

I know you're not just trolling for a food fight between  
undereducated developers and ignorant sysadmins, so I'll agree with  
you ;)

Too few developers understand enough about module locations, kernel  
options, package management, security, Linux Standards Base  file  
hierarchy system, user and group permissions, SELinux, deployment  
practices, not to mention source code control, test-driven  
development, configuration and change management, project management  
and client communications.

OTOH, too few sysadmins understand the needs of their customers to  
run software, security implications, configuration management,  
disaster recovery, incident logging and management, secure remote  
access, internal security threats, current security best practices,  
and so forth.

>  This isn't intended to be an accusation of negligence, although I
> must admit that's a reasonable interpretation of the above.  My major
> goal is observation, and I freely admit I don't have much in the way
> of universal answers.

I tend to agree. I have often observed groups where the sysadmins  
don' t understand what the software developers are doing, the  
software developers don't understand why the sysadmins keep telling  
them they can't do things, and neither has a really good grasp on  
what the business is doing. In addition, both groups don't get enough  
support for ongoing education. Both groups are under tremendous  
pressure to do the impossible: development to deliver results under  
unrealistic schedules and expectations, sysadmins are expected to  
deliver miracles with substandard equipment and unrealistic  
expectations.

There's also a phenomenon I've heard other consultants refer to as  
"Nine-To-Five-Employees:" folks who come in to work, do what they are  
told to do, and leave on time. This isn't criminal negligence: these  
are the folks who attend school committee meetings, volunteer at the  
local food pantry, and help run the local Scout troop. We need them,  
but we should be helping them to do more, too.

>   Ultimately, however, I feel it important to realize that the  
> above is a contributing factor to the phenomenon typically stated  
> as "All software sucks".

Tom DeMarco's book "Why Does Software Cost So Much?" is a grand  
collection of essays that discuss the issues of modern computer  
information systems. The answer to the same-named essay can be summed  
up pretty simply: Because It's Expensive To Do It Right.

Sadly, a lot of poor management practices continue to follow the  
rules of Ship Now, Fix Later, a badly-distorted view of Ship Early,  
Ship Often.

When I start to work with a new client, ongoing education is one of  
the things I push. Subscriptions to magazines, attendance at local  
groups and presentations, reimbursement for college classes and  
training and annual trips to professional conferences pay back over  
and over. As the teacher's bumper stickers say "Think Education is  
Expensive? Try Ignorance."

Ted Roche
Ted Roche & Associates, LLC
http://www.tedroche.com