XP (was Re: Defending the Python lanuage... )

Cliff Wells logiplexsoftware at earthlink.net
Mon Feb 11 13:10:57 EST 2002


On Mon, 11 Feb 2002 07:35:32 -0600
Chris Gonnerman wrote:

> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Laura Creighton" <lac at strakt.com>
> > 
> > Don't formalise the process too much.  You are not trying to bring 
> > order to your establishment by building rules that work top-down.  
> > You are trying to foster order that works from the bottom up.
> 
> Here is the ideal of XP which I think is being lost on managers 
> trying to implement it for buzzword compliance.  They don't really
> understand what they are doing, so they will *mandate* all parts
> of XP even if they are incompatible with the people doing the work.
> 
> XP is only going to work if you adapt it together with your people.
> Each side may have to give; if the programmers you are working with
> are hardheaded (and which of us aren't), forcing them to pair-program
> or do other XP things is *not* going to improve anything.
> 
> I've lived through too many "paradigm shifts" already.  I remember
> the fiasco of TQM being applied to a scientific laboratory, where
> commitment to quality was already so high that the technicians were
> insulted.  Managers blindly applying buzzwords like Band-Aids makes
> me curse... whether it's TQM, or Java, or XP, *no* "new way" will
> work for everyone.
> 
> It's just not a one-size-fits-all world.

Perhaps this is the problem I was having with these ideas myself.  When
someone proposes ideas like this, I look at it from a "mandated" point of
view (since that seems to be what happens) and so end up playing the
devil's advocate, looking for situations where it won't work (or thinking
of times where something else worked better).  I've backed up from my
earlier stance, given the arguments forwarded by Laura and others in this
thread (and also, knowing a little more specifics has helped too - but
that's the danger of arguing about things you know too little about ;)

Anyway, I think that perhaps these techniques, if not adhered to too
tightly, could be very beneficial, and am willing to admit that perhaps I
was talking out the wrong end.

-- 
Cliff Wells, Software Engineer
Logiplex Corporation (www.logiplex.net)
(503) 978-6726 x308  (800) 735-0555 x308

"Then with your new power you'll accomplish all sorts of cool stuff 
 in no time, and We'll All Be Sorry.  At that point you can either 
 gloat a bit, and then relent, or go ahead and send the robot army 
 after us." - Quinn Dunkan




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