Maggie++

There has been much talk lately about developing software, learning software, skill levels, drag and drop demos and what is Microsoft’s responsibility to the .Net community.

I don’t think Microsoft is responsible for developers’ knowledge or programming skill level. They create tools that can be used for development. That is all we need from them. There are other tools and languages to use and there will be many more in the future.

I think some of the responsibility of quality software development lies with the companies that hire developers for development. You get what you pay for. Companies need to hire talent and provide resources for those developers to continue to learn. Software evolves as does other technologies. Continuous Improvement is not just a buzz word. It does not happen on its own; it takes leadership. It is also vital for the software community to take responsibility for building a better community.

If a developer writes an application by drag and drop that produces code that is un maintainable who is at fault? Have they been taught another way? Are there expectations of design for maintainability? Have they ever had to maintain code another has written? Should Microsoft have warned them in a sales demo that that it might not be the best way to write code? Has someone reviewed the code and the design? Have they been provided the necessary resources to perform their job? Do they have someone to ask how to make it better?

Writing good software is hard. It is not a job for beginners. Microsoft provides the languages, compilers and tools used to write .Net code. If a developer does not know how to write code and isn’t being taught how to do it better they are not really developing software and they certainly aren’t going to become expert or master at their craft.

Anyone can throw flour, salt, sugar , yeast and water into a pan and put it in an oven. It will not become bread unless they followed a good process and knew what it takes to make a good loaf of bread. Often they will have been taught by someone else to bake bread or they will have spent considerable time experimenting until they get it right. They do not go to the appliance store for a salesperson to demonstrate the oven’s new and shiny features to make better bread.

We are becoming a more drag and drop society. I can throw a frozen bag of vegetables into the microwave push a button and have hot steaming vegetables to serve. I did not have to select quality vegetables from the store. I did not need to know how to wash them or that I should and why. I did not have to know how to trim them and prepare them for cooking. I didn’t even need to get a pan dirty.

Software has not reached this level of maturity. I need to understand the details and syntax of the programming language. I need to know how to interface with the operating system. I need to know what the operating system is capable of. I need to know what functions the framework provides and how to make good use of them. I need to understand how to communicate with all other software I need to interact with. I need to know all of this in addition to learning the application domain and what the software is supposed to do.

Software development techniques do need to mature – it should be easier to put a system together. We should not have to spend so much time reinventing the wheel and writing plumbing code. There needs to be a better way to find out what components are available and when they should be used. If we need to buy controls from several different venders to build the best software in an efficient and timely manner then we should be able to and given a means to do so.

My husband is an RF design engineer. He designs all sorts of radio devices and components that go into larger systems. If he had to design every chip, filter and capacitor anew for each project he would not get anything built. He spends considerable time modeling the interaction of these parts on the computer before he decides what will go on the boards and how they should be arranged. He then builds up a prototype and tests it’s functionality. Often things do not work they way they should; there are stray signals and what not (not my domain to explain well) interfering with the functionality. It is a highly iterative process – he goes back and forth between modeling and design and testing in the lab many many times to get it right. He tries many parts out; some are rejected – sometimes they do not make the specs they are designed for in the environment he places them in. Is this the fault of the part designer? No, they can’t possibly imagine every situation where their parts may end up. It just means he needs to change the design to make the part work or find a new part.

He has spent dozens of years becoming an expert in his field. He had mentors from the very beginning guiding him. He cooped during college to get vital real-world experience. He now makes sure to bring in coops to work with him as he knows this is how good engineers will be grown. Yes it takes time away from his work but it is important. He knows that they will not learn in school all that they will need to be successful. He does not expect an engineer with just a few years experience to be able to produce a good product on their own. It takes time to nurture and develop talent.

What will the software community do to find, nurture and develop talent?

Maggie++