Hackathons are nonsense
Sun, 19 Feb 2012 16:04:48 GMT
Mon, 20 Feb 2012 16:24:15 GMT
Dave Winer
dave.winer@gmail.com
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<div class="divOutlineItem" style="padding-bottom: 10px;"><span class="spanOutlineText" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18px; line-height: 140%;">Hackathons are how marketing guys wish software were made.</span><a name="hackathonsAreHowMarketingGuysWishSoftwareWereMade"> </a><a href="#hackathonsAreHowMarketingGuysWishSoftwareWereMade"><img src="http://scripting.com/images/2001/09/20/sharpPermaLink3.gif" class="imgBlogpostPermalink" width="6" height="9" border="0" alt="permalink"></a></div>
<div class="divOutlineItem" style="padding-bottom: 10px;"><span class="spanOutlineText" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18px; line-height: 140%;">However, to make good software, requires lots of thought, trial and error, evaluation, iteration, trying the ideas out on other users, learning, thinking, more trial and error, and on and on. At some point you say it ain't perfect, but it's useful, so let's ship. That process, if the software is to be any good, doesn't happen in 24 hours. Sometimes it takes years, if the idea is new enough. </span><a name="howeverToMakeGoodSoftwareRequiresLotsOfThoughtTrialAndErrorEvaluationIterationTryingTheIdeasOutOnOtherUsersLearningThinkingMoreTrialAndErrorAndOnAndOnAtSomePointYouSayItAintPerfectButItsUsefulSoLetsShipThatProcessIfTheSoftwareIsToBeAnyGoodDoesntHappenIn24HoursSometimesItTakesYearsIfTheIdeaIsNewEnough"> </a><a href="#howeverToMakeGoodSoftwareRequiresLotsOfThoughtTrialAndErrorEvaluationIterationTryingTheIdeasOutOnOtherUsersLearningThinkingMoreTrialAndErrorAndOnAndOnAtSomePointYouSayItAintPerfectButItsUsefulSoLetsShipThatProcessIfTheSoftwareIsToBeAnyGoodDoesntHappenIn24HoursSometimesItTakesYearsIfTheIdeaIsNewEnough"><img src="http://scripting.com/images/2001/09/20/sharpPermaLink3.gif" class="imgBlogpostPermalink" width="6" height="9" border="0" alt="permalink"></a></div>
<div class="divOutlineItem" style="padding-bottom: 10px;"><span class="spanOutlineText" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18px; line-height: 140%;">If you want an idea of an art that's like making software, look at film and food. It's got a lot in common with both. But there will never be a Julia Child of software. It's not an art where you can observe the creative process, because that goes on inside the creator's head. In that sense it's like film. And it's not a science, as some people seem to think it is. Good software makers are also joyous software <i>eaters.</i> We use the stuff, so we know when it's done because it's use-ful.</span><a name="ifYouWantAnIdeaOfAnArtThatsLikeMakingSoftwareLookAtFilmAndFoodItsGotALotInCommonWithBothButThereWillNeverBeAJuliaChildOfSoftwareItsNotAnArtWhereYouCanObserveTheCreativeProcessBecauseThatGoesOnInsideTheCreatorsHeadInThatSenseItsLikeFilmAndItsNotAScienceAsSomePeopleSeemToThinkItIsGoodSoftwareMakersAreAlsoJoyousSoftwareIeatersiWeUseTheStuffSoWeKnowWhenItsDoneBecauseItsUseful"> </a><a href="#ifYouWantAnIdeaOfAnArtThatsLikeMakingSoftwareLookAtFilmAndFoodItsGotALotInCommonWithBothButThereWillNeverBeAJuliaChildOfSoftwareItsNotAnArtWhereYouCanObserveTheCreativeProcessBecauseThatGoesOnInsideTheCreatorsHeadInThatSenseItsLikeFilmAndItsNotAScienceAsSomePeopleSeemToThinkItIsGoodSoftwareMakersAreAlsoJoyousSoftwareIeatersiWeUseTheStuffSoWeKnowWhenItsDoneBecauseItsUseful"><img src="http://scripting.com/images/2001/09/20/sharpPermaLink3.gif" class="imgBlogpostPermalink" width="6" height="9" border="0" alt="permalink"></a></div>
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