

Classifying Software Developers - tkaemming
http://rc3.org/2011/04/28/classifying-software-developers/

======
lyudmil
I find the following sentences from the post contradictory:

"[Outwardly focused developers] copy and paste code they find in blog posts
even if they don’t actually know how it works."

"Both [the vocation/avocation and inwardly/outwardly focused] scales are value
neutral."

I think the first is clearly describing a bad developer. I suspect it is also
meant to. There are other such instances in the post, which I fear drains it
of content. Sticking with the second scale, it seems to me that when faced
with a problem, the appropriate Ruby code ought to be:

    
    
      def solve problem
        my_solution = hypothesize_solution_to(problem)
        
        existing_solutions = find_existing_solutions_to(problem)
    
        #The sort other is by quality
        existing_solutions.sort!
    
        existing_solutions.reject do |solution|
          solution.sucks? or my_solution.better_than?(solution)
        end
    
        return existing_solutions.first unless existing_solutions.empty?
        my_solution
      end
    

There's some refactoring needed, but the algorithm is correct. I think doing
anything different without a _very_ solid reason is irresponsible.

~~~
georgieporgie
The scales strike me as value-neutral until you get to the extremes. You don't
want someone who's constantly reinventing a newer, hotter wheel because
they're too inwardly focused. Neither do you want someone who's so dependent
upon existing solutions that they're incapable of writing their own code.

------
jared314
I think both this article and the the original article miss the aspect of
business awareness. Understanding how the code is used and how it will help
someone is a key skill to develop.

