Joel Spolsky is, for all you can find out about a person through a blog, a cool guy. This new year (as in previous years) I’ve taken some time to dive into his blog (and Jeff Atwood’s) and let his in-linking take me where it will.
These two guys have a different way of looking at Programming. At Software Development. At _making stuff_.
Why is it different?
Because for the most part, at least in my experience, even the enlightened Developers are bound up within the wrong priorities.
“And we eat lunch together every day.”
This is the best priority I’ve ever seen. Bar none. You know why?
Because Relationships (People) count. They matter more over time than any stock or financial holding or body of code.
What is the point of making stuff if your relationships at work suck? Sure, I can see a point.
- You get projects .. done.
- You make a bottom line.
- You are a piece of paper handed over to a manager who puts it together with some more papers and hands it to their manager, who in turn folds them all into a gigantic paper plane and flies them “upstairs”. Upstairs, where everything is boiled down in giant vats of dollar signs and numbers.
This isn’t a post about changing the system, or pulling off a major coupe against “the Man”.
It’s about YOU/ME continuing to adjust our priorities in alignment with this clear and excellent way of thinking. Relationships first. Code second. It’s an important second, but second nonetheless.