Re: Re: How do you use unix?
By: hollowone to poindexter FORTRAN on Sat Dec 28 2024 11:38:00
Now, I get to say "WHY YOU KIDS HAVE IT SO EASY - WHEN I STARTED OUT WE HA EED BATCHES OF CARDS INTO THE COMPUTER TO SEE YOUR PROGRAM OUTPUT!"
it's no easy, considering that with modern tools and approach, single person can manage significantly larger code base, which is today's struggle.
The basics are much easier, but most people aren't satisfied with the basics anymore... expectations constantly increase over time.
It's the equivalent of comparing a pioneer who built their home 200 years ago to someone who builds a home today -- Each of them is relying on available tools and infrastructure, built by others, but someone today has much more sophisticated tools and capable infrastructure, so building the equivalent of a pioneer home might be a weekend effort, but the expectations for a home to live in are much higher.
For my day job I run a group responsible for my employers' main software product, which is fairly mature. Our job is to keep the product stable and moving forward with the goals the company sets. We're still within the "one person can understand it all" scope, but keeping that much in context (and pulling so many threads when you don't) is tricky. Not everyone recgonizes the implications of changes they make, tesing often doesn't catch everything (sometimes nothing!) and as a result I find it's hard enough to manage a handful of developers who are paid for their efforts, I can't imagine trying to wrangle hundreds/thousands of changes and additions from many contributors.
As another example, I look at what Rob has done here and I'm in absolute awe of how useful and successful Synchronet BBS and the related pieces are, they make it look easy to someone spinning up a new BBS, but the reality of making that happen is anything but easy.
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