Software systems rule our world. My regular newsletter explores the human factors that make software engineering so unique, so difficult, so important and all consuming.
The Human Software 281 - When Does Change Happen?
|
Working in software you get to see some pretty stupid stuff. And I mean crazy, stupid stuff. Decisions that float down from on high from multiple disparate spheres of influence - sales teams, other business units or just vice-presidents with a Great New Idea[tm] or a pet project. The narrative goes a little like this - the important people get to make choices and us techies have to live with consequences them. Sometimes these decisions are on a whim, an industry hype, a desperate attempt to make an impact or even occasionally in the misbegotten idea that it does some good for the company. The techies sit and watch the ideas come and go while we sit here doing what we do best - fixing stuff while the rest of the business tries to screw it all up. Of course, this is only our perspective. Not everyone would agree with it. But whichever way, when really significant change in the business or in a technology occurs - can we even recognise it anymore? The chances are that now, in the midst of the ongoing AI revolution, there is too much noise both inside and outside the technology business to make any sense of the signals that are coming through. So why worry? In the same way we can decide to turn the sound down on the news or turn off our mobile phone, we shouldn't focus on the hype. Instead, we should focuss on what's important - the people we work with, the people we live with, the people who matter. I'll be in London this week, once again at the Fast Flow Conference. This time I'll be distributing copies of Human Software to those who have prepurchased as well as giving a few away to those who have been kind enough to review it. If you're attending then let me know and I can reserve you a copy. Feel free to come and say hello if you see me around. And a reminder that I'm having a little, informal launch party at The Wheatsheaf in the West End on Wednesday 15th October. There will be no presentation, just a meet up and I won't be providing drinks but I'm pleased to say hello and discuss the book! Have a great Sunday! Why Did I Write a Novel about IT and Software Engineering?Published on October 10, 2025 When I look at my career trajectory, it’s a bit like a misfiring rocket. I started as a passionate techie, then became a stone-cold contractor, an Open-Source Warrior, a justified team lead, a passionate Product Owner, an unconvincing consultant, and then a confused manager. Now, I’m a contented DevOps engineer and author. So how did… Read More »Why Did I Write a Novel about IT and Software Engineering?
Is Self-Publishing Something for You?Published on October 7, 2025 I attended a discussion at the Amercian Book Center in Amsterdam last month. Authors, readers and agents met with some representatives of the traditional publishing industry and heard their tips for succeeding in 2025 and beyond. What was clear from the fifty or so attendees was that self-publishing is already very popular and continues to… Read More »Is Self-Publishing Something for You?
|
The Human Software
Software systems rule our world. My regular newsletter explores the human factors that make software engineering so unique, so difficult, so important and all consuming.
If you happen to be in London next week then I'll be having a little launch party on Wednesday October 15th. It's not just any pub as well, it's the pub that I used to go to when I was working in my first job in software development thirty years ago in 1995. The famous "Wheatsheaf" just off Oxford Street in London. This was the pub where many conversations got technical and many times got heated. I feel that Peter and Dominic would approve of the location. If you're in the area, please drop...
When I first started working in software, I discovered that were some battles you could win and some you couldn't. There were some decisions that no matter how logically you argued against you them, would occur anyway because that's just the way it is. Some people think this is a naive way of being; arguing against the status quo. I believe it's hopeful and humanistic to question our environment. Naivety in the form of hope lasts throughout life. I believe ultimately that people want to do...
Hello there, I've just posted this announcment on LinkedIn - please like and share. Thank you! Two years ago, I started writing a novel about IT and Software Development. Why? Well, I'd loved reading "The Phoenix Project" and "The Unicorn Project", and I wanted something a little more realistic, a bit grittier. I wasn't writing a business book; I was writing a story set in the IT and Software Development world. A story where agile transformations don't work, a story where we cut corners to...