

Incentivizing Quality and Impact in Computing Research - kushti
http://cacm.acm.org/magazines/2015/5/186027-incentivizing-quality-and-impact-in-computing-research/fulltext#.VTpAPFLlXNc.twitter

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anonymousDan
I think it's interesting that this proposal for academia to move away from
shorter, more frequent publications is completely in contrast to how the
software industry has moved towards agile methodologies as a way of working. I
honestly don't see what the problem is. Is it really such a bad thing if
someone publishes their work in smaller chunks? I'm sure everyone is aware of
the benefits of short feedback loops with agile methodologies, why shouldn't
researchers employ the same strategies? So long as the research is truly
novel, does it really matter if it is published incrementally?

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ScottBurson
> So long as the research is truly novel, does it really matter if it is
> published incrementally?

Presumably not. The question is whether the opportunity to do truly novel work
is being lost in all the hubbub of writing and submitting papers and serving
on program committees. Truly novel work requires deep thought, and deep
thought takes time.

I can do no better here than to quote the mathematician G. Spencer-Brown, from
_Laws of Form_ :

"To arrive at the simplest truth, as Newton knew and practiced, requires
_years_ of _contemplation_. Not activity. Not reasoning. Not calculating. Not
busy behavior of any kind. Not reading. Not talking. Not making an effort. Not
thinking. Simply _bearing in mind_ what it is one needs to know. And yet those
with the courage to tread this path to real discovery are not only offered
practically no guidance on how to do so, they are actively discouraged and
have to set about it in secret, pretending meanwhile to be diligently engaged
in the frantic diversions and to conform with the deadening personal opinions
which are continually being thrust upon them." [Emphasis in original]

Even allowing that Spencer-Brown may have overstated the case somewhat --
there are times for reading and talking, for reasoning and calculating -- and
even if we recognize that this quote evinces a certain bitterness in which we
may not wish to share, I think it still makes a good point. Even in software
development, if we're doing anything difficult, there are times when we have
to set aside the usual progress tracking and focus on solving a hard problem,
an activity that cannot be scheduled and managed.

