Comments on: What would an expert want with recipes? http://notes.dpdx.net/2006/05/23/what-would-an-expert-want-with-recipes/ Fluid Dynamics, Computer Simulations, and Assorted Tinkering Mon, 26 Jul 2010 16:24:52 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: TWAndrews http://notes.dpdx.net/2006/05/23/what-would-an-expert-want-with-recipes/comment-page-1/#comment-10 TWAndrews Wed, 24 May 2006 18:36:08 +0000 http://notes.dpdx.net/2006/05/23/what-would-an-expert-want-with-recipes/#comment-10 I still think that there's a lot of value in having recipes. It may be that they're not much good for experts (except, as you mention, as sources of data), but they're still quite valueable simply because they let newbies get started. This has always been the problem which I've had with <a>Joel's</a> thoughts regarding expert vs. non-expert programmers. While he's entirely correct that experts, left more or less to their own devices will produce breathtaking programs, the fact is that there's a lot more code to be written than there are expert programers to write it. So to me the more interesting question isn't "How do I let expert programers produce their best work?" but rather "How can one effectively combine experts and novices to get sub-optimal, but still servicable programs for reasonable cost in a limited timeframe?" I still think that there’s a lot of value in having recipes. It may be that they’re not much good for experts (except, as you mention, as sources of data), but they’re still quite valueable simply because they let newbies get started.

This has always been the problem which I’ve had with Joel’s thoughts regarding expert vs. non-expert programmers. While he’s entirely correct that experts, left more or less to their own devices will produce breathtaking programs, the fact is that there’s a lot more code to be written than there are expert programers to write it.

So to me the more interesting question isn’t “How do I let expert programers produce their best work?” but rather “How can one effectively combine experts and novices to get sub-optimal, but still servicable programs for reasonable cost in a limited timeframe?”

]]> By: Jeff Atwood http://notes.dpdx.net/2006/05/23/what-would-an-expert-want-with-recipes/comment-page-1/#comment-6 Jeff Atwood Wed, 24 May 2006 00:54:26 +0000 http://notes.dpdx.net/2006/05/23/what-would-an-expert-want-with-recipes/#comment-6 Nice example -- that's the kind of expert cooking I was thinking of. Nice example — that’s the kind of expert cooking I was thinking of.

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