Corgibytes Blog

One of the things that I like to anecdotally measure is how long a similarly complex change takes. Over time, if it takes longer, then you're likely suffering from tech debt issues. If you're able to turn things around so that it starts getting done faster, then it sounds like you're starting to turn things around.

On the missed deadlines issue, that reminds me of a blog we posted a while ago about why we stopped estimating ongoing development on these types of code bases[1].

I also like to use the metaphor of a car that's stuck in the mud (or snow). The wheels Are spinning really fast and the engine is working really hard, but the car isn't going anywhere. It's only when you start trying to dig it out that you start to see forward progress, and even then, the progress is slow at first.

[1]: http://corgibytes.com/blog/no-estimates/productivity/customer-service/estimates/operations/consulting/software-remodeling/2016/03/04/complicated-vs-complex/

> I reckon fitness could become a factor in interviews

Interesting. Another HN post a while ago mentioned they fought any ageism by being physically fitter than those younger than them - racing the younger ones up the stairs of the building without breaking a sweat.

Actually, here's the blog post, On Getting Old(er) In Tech by Don Denoncourt:
http://corgibytes.com/blog/2016/12/06/getting-old-er-in-tech/

"A year or so ago, I was attending a two-week training session with about a dozen 20- or 30-something developers. The training was on the 22nd floor and, every day after we came back from group lunches, I’d always take the stairs. The first day or two, one or two of the kids would join me, but I got no repeats. It’s pretty hard to be considered a has-been when they can’t keep up with you."

> We noticed that men constantly asked for WAY more than women when applying, so we decided to take the salary negotiations off the table to make it easier for everyone.[0]

So I'm being punished because some people don't ask for what they're worth? I would consider applying for the senior position but it's less than I make now. This policy means I have to either 1) take a pay cut; 2) punch above my weight and apply for the next rung up the ladder; 3) not apply.

I get what they're trying to do but this does not seem to be a way to go about it while continuing to get the best applicants possible.

[0] http://corgibytes.com/careers/

It was interesting. Too bad the company profiled doesn't really value the developers--if you look at their careers page, they pay 110k for lead devs, and 90k for senior devs: http://corgibytes.com/careers/ . I respect them for stating it up front and I know they are 100% remote, but those salaries seem a bit low to me.

But that's just ad hominem. I think working code is almost never worth a rewrite. See "Things you should never do, part 1" for an old chestnut on the same topic: http://www.joelonsoftware.com/articles/fog0000000069.html

I'm 57 and I "Can't Stop Coding" as I'm still having too much fun. Whenever I stop having fun... I change programming jobs. I wrote about this in a blog post (http://corgibytes.com/blog/2016/12/06/getting-old-er-in-tech/) that was widely read.
I will say, however, that I have seen a lot of developers become obsolete mostly because they stayed with the same company (and programming language) for too long or ignored opportunities to stay abreast of technology.