[plt-scheme] Perplexed Programmers

I fully admit that I work in an environment that is less job- 
threatening than others.  Hopefully, that doesn't disqualify me from  
asking: Do you work in your described scenario?  How many people do  
you know of that do?

rac

On Aug 25, 2007, at 10:57 AM, Jos Koot wrote:

> Manager: you are overdue on your time schedule. The delivery was  
> scheduled for three month ago.
> Skilled programmer: I know, but I six month ago I asked some  
> clarifications on the specs, but up to now I received none.
> Manager: The specs are clear and right, for I made them myself.
> Skilled programmer lookes unconvinced.
> Manager: What do you have got so far?
> Skilled programmer: I have some working code, but since the specs  
> are self contradicting, the code is too.
> Manager: Why didn't you tel me earlier? We release it at once.
> Skilled programmer: But, ...
> Manager: If you have buts you can consider yourself fired.
> Skilled programmer thinking: for himself:: His salary is more  
> important than the quatlity of the products we deliver.
> Skilled programmer thinking for himself: But I have a family to  
> suport; what can I do about it?
> We: Ignore incompetent management. Make a front. An incompetent  
> manager can acheive nothing when being ignored by the skilled ones.
> Jos Koot
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Richard Cleis" <rcleis at mac.com>
> To: "PLT Scheme" <plt-scheme at list.cs.brown.edu>
> Sent: Saturday, August 25, 2007 6:06 PM
> Subject: [plt-scheme] Perplexed Programmers
>
>
>> A tenth of a billion dollars was spent on a payroll system that   
>> doesn't work because "complicated, varied job assignments and pay   
>> scales have perplexed computer programmers."
>>
>> http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me- 
>> payroll25aug25,0,630079.story? track=mostviewed-storylevel
>>
>> As computers and computer science mature, these stories (and my  
>> own  trivial experiences) get worse.  What's going wrong?
>>
>> Oh, never mind.  This forum is for cheerier topics... like what  
>> kind  of Mean Scheme Machine could be built for the 37M$ that will  
>> be spent  on fixing the 95M$ problem.
>>
>> rac
>>
>>
>> "Heyyy, there's a *New* Mexico." -- Homer Simpson, encountering a   
>> need for lifted definitions.
>>
>>
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>