Item — HN Reader

There are some technologies or methodologies that can and should be easily swapped out for better solutions.

But as your career continues, you'll find that you are _always_ learning, and in that process of learning you, too, will do the kind of stupid shit that someday a wiser you will wish you'd done so, so differently. The point is, in time, people and organizations of all sizes build legacy. Yes, even startups. You should actually feel pretty good if you work on something that lives long enough to develop a few warts.

There are two related skills you really have to work to build. The first is the discipline to set time aside to fix the broken things. You'll be surprised how hard that can be. (ESPECIALLY in a startup.)

The second will be tolerance; the ability to accept that, yes, some things are totally wrong in the purest academic sense—and maybe embarrassingly so—but at the same time, they are working and the best customer outcome may be a focus on some other feature.

1 comments

"But as your career continues, you'll find that you are _always_ learning, and in that process of learning you, too, will do the kind of stupid shit that someday a wiser you will wish you'd done so, so differently. The point is, in time, people and organizations of all sizes build legacy. Yes, even startups. You should actually feel pretty good if you work on something that lives long enough to develop a few warts."

I have done bad things. Everybody will.

"There are two related skills you really have to work to build. The first is the discipline to set time aside to fix the broken things. You'll be surprised how hard that can be. (ESPECIALLY in a startup.)

Fair points. Fixing things is always hard. I learned that on the Java Project. And yes as long as they are working I'm on your side. But and that a honest question: What would you do when you see that thing X will break in maybe a year and there is no way to scale it and the manager is ignore that it will break in the near future?

"But and that a honest question: What would you do when you see that thing X will break in maybe a year and there is no way to scale it and the manager is ignore that it will break in the near future?"

In my opinion the best option is to ensure that your manager understands the forthcoming problem, and even if they choose to ignore it, have a plan for what you'll do when that happens. Sometimes what seems to you like them ignoring the problem is actually acceptance of the risk; a choice to defer action.

If you can be anticipating the problem and be the person ready to get working on a solution when it's finally required you'll usually win heartily. If you fall to an I-told-you-so attitude it won't be very helpful for anyone.

Of course, depending on how management handles it when things do finally fall over you may want to consider looking elsewhere. After all, there's good and bad leaders everywhere...

Thank you.

Your right

and yes the I-told-you-so attitude is really bad.

>But and that a honest question: What would you do when you see that thing X will break in maybe a year and there is no way to scale it and the manager is ignore that it will break in the near future?

Polish your resume.