Open source optimizes everything, even things no one cares about...

[Adam L. Beberg]

On Sat, 29 Dec 2001, Lucas Gonze wrote:

> > Examples of colaborative, collective and cognitive cohabitation of
> > projects abound in these days.
>
> Yup -- NIH is a beginner mistake.  Only new devs think they have to
> invent problems.  Crusty vets know to take the easy way out by working
> with others. More, _all_ really productive devs communicate technical
> issues well and avoid taking things personally.  Sure your ego is on the
> line sometimes, but even then the smart thing to do is to focus on the
> best solution, because nobody else cares about your ego.

NIH may be a beginners mistake, but it's responsible for every day job I've
ever had or interviewed for, and probably every job I ever will. So dont
knock it :)

For the same reason, NIH and MIC (make it complex) go hand in hand. If
PostreSQL ever gets "done" (not that i've had a problem with it in 5 years
of using it) what happens to Oracle? And if Linux ever got a damn clue
they should be copying Apple like MS does, not copying MS, Microsoft is
preaty well screwed, because they really are one application away from
losing their monopoly.

So here's the deal, I'll work on the open source project that gets you
fired, and you work on the open source project that gets me fired, and
we'll all eat tea and crumpets.

What? you say all the open source projects suffer from NIH too? And there
are dozens of XYZ projects, so none of them will ever quite be done because
everytime one gets going good everyone starts a new project to do XYZ
because they are actually just bored and looking for Alpha status in a
group, any group, so they can try to get laid (like any good male primate
does), not really concerned about making it work the simplest and most
elegant way because that isn't the point at all?

Good, then I can go back to looking for a day job, secure that it too, will
be a NIH job.

:)

- Adam L. "Duncan" Beberg
  http://www.iit.edu/~beberg/
  beberg@mithral.com