--
Iris Gray and Puff and Callisto
Email: wy...@victoria.tc.ca
Web Page:http://www.victoria.tc.ca/~wy236
I used to have a handle on life, but it broke.
Iris M. Gray <wy...@vtn1.victoria.tc.ca> wrote in article
<35908...@news.victoria.tc.ca>...
I AM a Sr. Programmer and have no idea whatever you could mean.
The whole myth of management is that it exists. Good programmers will always
come through. Salespeople and managers simply have no idea what is necessary
to do a job properly and want everything yesterday.
As for your statement about cats; I resent that one too. My cat is friendly,
cooperative, well behaved and eager to please. Like computers, the only
secret is having patience and getting the message across in a form the
cat/computer can understand.
sincerely yours,
Phil White and Al E. Katz
Janelle wrote in message <01bd9f20$d2243500$a047aacc@ibm>...
Phil White <pdw...@email.msn.com> wrote in article
> >>>>snips<<<<<
>
>
>
Of course you speak a different language to cats, but it is a language. It
is emotional, gestural and some of it is gained by watching cats with other
cats. For example, a mother cat doesn't hit her kittens to repremand them
when they do something wrong, but they do tap them lightly on the ear to get
their attention and then illustrate correct behavior. You can do that too!
Cats and programmers are usually very intellegent and definately have minds
of their own. You get much better results if you don't alienate them. If you
win their trust and loyalty you can get them to do most anything.
Oh yes, one other thing.... Ambiguity is not bliss.
Janelle wrote in message <01bd9fcd$968ee0a0$6147aacc@ibm>...
Phil White <pdw...@email.msn.com> wrote in article
<enURKnEo9GA.280@upnetnews05>...
> When you speak to a computer you must use a language the computer
> understands. In order to prevent unforseen errors, you must be careful to
> correct possible misinterpretations.
>
> Of course you speak a different language to cats, but it is a language.
It
> is emotional, gestural and some of it is gained by watching cats with
other
> cats. For example, a mother cat doesn't hit her kittens to repremand them
> when they do something wrong, but they do tap them lightly on the ear to
get
> their attention and then illustrate correct behavior. You can do that
too!
>
> Cats and programmers are usually very intellegent and definately have
minds
> of their own. You get much better results if you don't alienate them. If
you
> win their trust and loyalty you can get them to do most anything.
>
> Oh yes, one other thing.... Ambiguity is not bliss.
>
>>>snip<<<<
>
> Managing Senior Programmers is like herding cats.
> ======================================================
> ++++++++=======+++++++++++++++++++++ Dave Platt+++++
As much as I'd like to, I can't claim to be the originator of this
particular idiom. It's one I ran into years ago - I think I _may_
have first heard it from Dale Luck (a guy I worked with at NTG and 3DO),
and I have a vague memory of hearing it originally ascribed to John
Dijkstra (but I could well be wrong about this). I do remember
stating it in the succinct fashion given above, a few years ago,
in a USENET post or some email... but I did not come up the
original analogy.
The earliest version I've run across in a cursory Web search is:
"At Group L, Stoffel oversees six first-rate programmers, a managerial
challenge roughly comparable to herding cats.-- The Washington Post
Magazine, June 9, 1985"
If anyone happens to know an earlier source for this analogy, I'd
be very interested in knowing it - please reply via email.
A Web search on "herding cats" turns up a really fascinating number of
situations which are of comparable difficulty... the concept seems to
be a very useful one.
Just wanted to set the historical record straight...
--
Dave Platt dpl...@feghoot.ml.org
Visit the Jade Warrior home page: http://feghoot.ml.org/jade-warrior/
I do _not_ wish to receive unsolicited commercial email, and I will
boycott any company which has the gall to send me such ads!
> It is emotional, gestural and some of it is gained by watching cats
> with other cats.
Quite right. One other good tip is never to look a cat that isn't *well*
used to you, straight in the eye for very long, otherwise they take that
as a direct challenge.
> Cats and programmers are usually very intellegent
I like that. :-)
Mike Dickson, Black Cat Software Factory, Edinburgh, Scotland
Peace, Janelle (Jane in PA)