Re: [PLUG] Why Can't Programmers.. Program?

[JP Vossen <jp@jpsdomain.org>]

> On Wed, Sep 13, 2017 at 7:01 PM, Andrew Libby <andrew.libby@gmail.com 
> wrote:
>     On 9/13/17 6:51 PM, JP Vossen wrote:
>     > On 09/13/2017 06:39 PM, Rachel plays Linux wrote:
>     >> Well, turns out that all the noodling and playing around we've been
>     >> doing, particularly Walt and I writing gists and posting them to IRC,
>     >> were kinda missing the point. Because ten years ago, the day after
>     >> writing the blog that sent us down this primrose path, he wrote
>     >> https://blog.codinghorror.com/fizzbuzz-the-programmers-stairway-to-heaven/
>     <https://blog.codinghorror.com/fizzbuzz-the-programmers-stairway-to-heaven/>
>     >>
>     >
>     > Interesting points and it makes me think of my related question:  What's
>     > your favorite VCS?
>     >
>     > If the person has an answer, the answer doesn't matter.  If they say
>     > anything like:
>     >     * What's revision control/version control?
>     >     * I don't {need,use} VCS
>     >
>     > Then...full-stop, out-the-door, buh-bye.
>     >
>     > Revision control is like breathing: it's required and I shouldn't have
>     > to tell you to do it.
>
>     I don't disagree, though I'd like to add a thought.   It is important
>     to determine one has the technical and professional maturity to have
>     embraced VCS.  It's also important to try to understand their reasons.
>     They may have chosen a different linux distro than you, a different
>     preferred language, framework or VCS.  The reasons they chose what they
>     chose can tell you a great deal about how a person reasons about things.
>     This can be huge in trying to determine what kind of mind you've got
>     sitting across the table.
>
>     So yes, once someone tells me they don't use VCS, I talk about baseball.
>     I don't even follow baseball :-).  But when they tell me they like
>     mercurial better than git and why, well then we're really learning about
>     how they reason about things. Again, this is huge from my perspective.

I actually do agree strongly here, I wrote "If the person has an answer, 
the answer doesn't matter" to emphasize the original point.  My opinion 
on the matter is 
https://www.jpsdomain.org/public/Revision_Control_for_the_Rest_of_Us.pdf 
which I can give as a preso if anyone cares.  :-)

For the record I like BZR because it's friendly, cross-platform and have 
awesome GUI tools.  I mostly prefer the CLI, but a a GUI diff/merge is 
sometimes REALLY hard to beat.  BZR itself is in maintenance mode (at 
best), but some of the original devs have forked it out from Canonical 
as Breezy and are getting it going again.


On 09/13/2017 07:08 PM, Will wrote:
> I've worked in a shop that scolded me for using VCS.

My head just exploded!

> As Andy stated 
> there are reasons but if someone flat out says "I don't use it" at the 
> very least without going old school with diff and patch... show them the 
> door.

Yup!

> I will say I have learned it's ok to say no to a company that you 
> interview with that doesn't use modern tools. Why? Working there is 
> filled with pain. Your hands are tied when you're a consultant or 
> contractor working with them.... in which case you regret your life. I 
> need to either get a drink or something now... having flash backs again.

Yup again, totally not worth it for all sorts of reasons.

Later,
JP
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