A college teacher of mine quipped to his students that if the software is inefficient, upgrade the hardware. I have flip-flopped on this mentality over the years. Part of me longs to write code the way Charles Lindbergh knocked together the Spirit of St. Louis.
Throughout the design of his aircraft, Charles knew that his life hung on the details. For example, rather than use an all-metal design, much of the exterior was cotton fabric (to reduce weight). His design was pragmatic, practical, and brilliant.
For the most part, software developers do not create systems where the modularity, efficiency, and stability are paramount to the success of a business or the safety of the people who use the programs. Developers often create systems for data entry and data analysis. It is the data that allows a business to take flight, as it were.
You can replace system front-ends in a fortnight. Dirty data, however, can skew results and impart inflexibility in the system. Bad data can ground a business. These days I care about the software, as my mind reminisces about the minimalism and beautiful design imparted upon the Spirit of St. Louis. Yet I care much more about the quality of the database and the cleanliness of data.
http://www.charleslindbergh.com/history/sec/
Throughout the design of his aircraft, Charles knew that his life hung on the details. For example, rather than use an all-metal design, much of the exterior was cotton fabric (to reduce weight). His design was pragmatic, practical, and brilliant.
For the most part, software developers do not create systems where the modularity, efficiency, and stability are paramount to the success of a business or the safety of the people who use the programs. Developers often create systems for data entry and data analysis. It is the data that allows a business to take flight, as it were.
You can replace system front-ends in a fortnight. Dirty data, however, can skew results and impart inflexibility in the system. Bad data can ground a business. These days I care about the software, as my mind reminisces about the minimalism and beautiful design imparted upon the Spirit of St. Louis. Yet I care much more about the quality of the database and the cleanliness of data.