Comments on: Refactoring the Monster http://blog.jtimothyking.com/2006/07/01/refactoring-the-monster Stories of a Self-published, Entrepreneurial Fiction Author (and Software Guy) Wed, 07 Jan 2009 08:13:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: J. Timothy King http://blog.jtimothyking.com/2006/07/01/refactoring-the-monster#comment-7470 J. Timothy King Wed, 05 Jul 2006 00:15:30 +0000 http://blog.jtimothyking.com/2006/07/01/refactoring-the-monster#comment-7470 Thanks for the kind words, Gavin, Retrospector, and Michael. I'm still learning, but it's a good feeling. Michael, that's an epiphany I wish for all software development organizations. Pair programming increases effectiveness and thus reduces cost. I did get to pair at times with each of my teammates, though I didn't mention it in the story. I wish I had more opportunity to do so. The primary goal of this pairing was to share knowledge about the code. That's an easy sell. I don't know to sell continuous pairing to the organization, much less my team-lead, who once even refused to let me pair with him... But that's another story. -TimK Thanks for the kind words, Gavin, Retrospector, and Michael. I’m still learning, but it’s a good feeling.

Michael, that’s an epiphany I wish for all software development organizations. Pair programming increases effectiveness and thus reduces cost.

I did get to pair at times with each of my teammates, though I didn’t mention it in the story. I wish I had more opportunity to do so. The primary goal of this pairing was to share knowledge about the code. That’s an easy sell. I don’t know to sell continuous pairing to the organization, much less my team-lead, who once even refused to let me pair with him… But that’s another story.

-TimK

]]> By: Michael Feathers http://blog.jtimothyking.com/2006/07/01/refactoring-the-monster#comment-7468 Michael Feathers Tue, 04 Jul 2006 10:40:27 +0000 http://blog.jtimothyking.com/2006/07/01/refactoring-the-monster#comment-7468 Great story! One word of warning, though. Reducing costs isn't as easy as it seems. It isn't just a matter of getting the lower cost person on the things that look mechanical. The way to really reduce costs is get the guy with the most understanding to pair with everyone else. It doesn't matter if he's the most expensive guy. I think that the thing that raises costs more than anything else in software is lack of understanding. And, this seems to be true for all sorts of understanding.. low level understanding of techniques, API.. the big picture, etc. I love the egg metaphor, btw. Great story! One word of warning, though. Reducing costs isn’t as easy as it seems. It isn’t just a matter of getting the lower cost person on the things that look mechanical. The way to really reduce costs is get the guy with the most understanding to pair with everyone else. It doesn’t matter if he’s the most expensive guy. I think that the thing that raises costs more than anything else in software is lack of understanding. And, this seems to be true for all sorts of understanding.. low level understanding of techniques, API.. the big picture, etc.

I love the egg metaphor, btw.

]]> By: Retrospector http://blog.jtimothyking.com/2006/07/01/refactoring-the-monster#comment-7451 Retrospector Mon, 03 Jul 2006 18:19:27 +0000 http://blog.jtimothyking.com/2006/07/01/refactoring-the-monster#comment-7451 Ah, the thrill of driving progress at the lead position. I remember a very similar engagement when converting old VBA apps to a Java environment with a small team. I think being a good IT manager really does require some sort of insight from experiences that had both the successes and the failures. Ah, the thrill of driving progress at the lead position. I remember a very similar engagement when converting old VBA apps to a Java environment with a small team. I think being a good IT manager really does require some sort of insight from experiences that had both the successes and the failures.

]]> By: Gavin http://blog.jtimothyking.com/2006/07/01/refactoring-the-monster#comment-7444 Gavin Mon, 03 Jul 2006 15:56:29 +0000 http://blog.jtimothyking.com/2006/07/01/refactoring-the-monster#comment-7444 Hey. Nice story. I'm glad it turned out positive and not another bitch session/horror story like most I read (think dailywtf.com). Good for you! Gav Hey. Nice story. I’m glad it turned out positive and not another bitch session/horror story like most I read (think dailywtf.com). Good for you!

Gav

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