The Mole must begin this blog with a sad tale, a confession of youthful arrogance and ignorance, an episode he regrets to this day, a warning to anyone who will take heed. When the Mole was a freshman, Alan Perlis was still teaching CS 221a, the introductory course in Computer Science for potential majors. The… Continue reading Apologia
August 2006
The Mole’s Reading List
The Mole has started a list of Recommended Reading. The first few entries are books so wise, so famous, so well respected, and so widely accepted that the Mole cannot add anything useful by way of a new review. If you need more words on why to read any of them, use your favorite search… Continue reading The Mole’s Reading List
The Mythical Man-Month
If you have anything at all to do with software development projects and haven’t read this one you should be very, very embarassed.
The Psychology of Computer Programming
Before there was Peopleware, there was The Psychology of Computer Programming. Nothing ages perfectly, but only the small-minded will focus on the thoughts that betray their age and miss the overall insightfulness of this book.
Peopleware
This is clearly where you have to start if you have anything to do with software development management. A great many people who know a lot more than the Mole and have a lot more “cred” have given this book ringing endorsements. After you have read it, find out if you manager has read it.… Continue reading Peopleware
I’m here! Is anybody out there?
After many years of having no visible presense on the web, I have decided it is time to get with the program. Frankly, though, the image that comes to mind is that of the poet Avrillia in The Garden of the Plynck: …[Sara] leaned over the balustrade and looked down into Nothing. It was very gray.… Continue reading I’m here! Is anybody out there?