I know someone who is non-technical and does startup Internet businesses. His lack of knowledge concerning software development is a real problem, but he guts through it. The biggest problem is one of trust: if you are not yourself a developer you don't appreciate why on rare occasion it can take a while to track down a bug, and other normal software development scenarios. A friend of mine has a way of explaining this to non-techs: "You are going fishing. Tell me exactly when you will catch a fish." :-)
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Hi Mark,
First of all, I must say, your website is very impressive. I would love to chat with you about AI at some point. You are correct about the non-techs understanding and empathizing with the developers. I am a non-technical founder myself, that's why I wrote the post. I try my best to understand the processes and problems that the tech team goes through. I try and learn as much as possible in order to not be in the dark.
I also like the fish analogy :D
Thanks. BTW, my telephone number is on my web site - I'm available to talk, preferably in the morning (Arizona time)
Damn, I really like the fish analogy as well (as I should, since I'm poor at it and find it deathly boring ... which is interesting in a family where everyone else isn't (well, there's a conservation of boredom principle in play, I'm the only one in my family who likes rifle paper target shooting, which to many is as interesting as watching paint dry)).
Damn, as in I wish I'd though of it way back when. Then again, I'm pretty sure almost all my superiors were city slickers who wouldn't have really gotten it....