Re: technical wet dreams and SQL fantasies

"Daniel Morgan" <damorgan_at_exxesolutions.com> wrote in message news:3F465BED.3888B692_at_exxesolutions.com...
>
> But IT pros need to accept some the of responsibility too. Too often we take the amoral course and
> refuse to speak up when asked to do stupid things that we know will end up falling apart. Too often we
> work, unpaid, evenings and weekends to make up for wholly predictable mistakes. In effect, we cover up
> for the mistakes of others.

You are preaching to the converted. Remember Geomancer's comment about the "ongoing issue" with me? What he conveniently didn't say is that for the last 20 years I've been pushing for IT people to become responsible for what they do, instead of just "toeing the line" and "not making waves" and "letting the caravan pass".

Of course, it may create problems and "ongoing issues". But then again, they're mostly with those who hide behind pseudo names in newsgroups, private lists and other such.

What I also have seen over the years is that if we do not address these problems and nip them in the bud, we end up being blamed for everything that goes wrong anyway.

>
> I understand the need for a paycheck and the desire to not make waves. But it isn't going to get better
> until more of us are willing to stand up and be counted.

It's very simple. Just do what I always do. EVERY single time someone tries to push a stupid technical decision past me, I ask them to put it in writing and sign it off.

IOW: Don't ask me to support something I don't agree with unless you are prepared to put your name behind it as the originator. THEN, you'll get my FULL support.

Do you want to know how many times anyone has gone ahead and done it? NEVER. Not ONCE, in well over 20 years! Simple indeed.

The reverse of the medal of course is that you have to be prepared to be asked to do exactly the same. Not a problem with me, but it is a very big problem with the IT industry: we just do not want to stick our necks out. Even less so nowadays with the job market being what it is. It doesn't make it any less wrong, though.

>
> Things do not get fixed that are not perceived to be broken. That doesn't mean they should be
> intentionally broken, or maliciously sabotauged. But it does mean that it isn't the end of the world and
> civilization as we know it if the server crashes on a Thursday and you just go home at 5:00pm.

Exactly.

--
Cheers
Nuno Souto
wizofoz2k_at_yahoo.com.au.nospam