Dynamics of Software Development
Maybe it's that time of the year, or just me being busy with code reviews (see this post or this one). But Microsoft have just re-released a book written by Jim McCarthy, Dynamics of Software Development. The original book was published in 1996, but I think it's still a good read as it gives you an idea on how Microsoft developed software at that time.
Jim McCarthy is the author of "21 Rules of Thumb for Shipping Great Software on Time". These 21 rules still apply to software development. With regards to my previous posts on a few rules jump out:
1. Don’t know what you don’t know.
It is essential not to profess to know, or seem to know, or accept that someone else knows, that which is unknown.
9. Low tech is good.
A smaller effort is almost always more desirable than a larger one. Shipping great software on time requires that we value an understood solution much higher than one fraught with unknowns. Keep in mind that customers would almost always rather see progress than promises.
I guess most of you have read these rules already. If you haven't read them, then I recommend that you read this post. It's a good read, a lot of it will definitely seem familiar.