Best of Company Culture — August 2024
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Codemotion·2y
The “Hardcore” Attitude of Programmers
The post explores the phenomenon of 'hardcore-ism' in programming, characterized by resistance to adopting modern tools and methods. It highlights historical roots from an era when resource constraints necessitated optimization. Key points include the advantages of modern IDEs over simple text editors, the complementary roles of CLI and GUI tools, the non-dogmatic approach to operating systems, the importance of debugging, knowledge sharing, and the potential of AI tools to enhance programming productivity. The essence of experienced programming lies in a balanced and open-minded approach to new technologies.
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Hacker News·2y
Code review antipatterns
Code reviews can be a double-edged sword: they can improve the codebase and the skills of the development team or be misused to obstruct progress and demoralize developers. The post humorously highlights several negative patterns, such as nitpicking, introducing delays, making vague criticisms, and contradicting previous feedback. It emphasizes the importance of constructive criticism, minimizing unnecessary rounds of revisions, and using authority responsibly in peer reviews. The ultimate goal is to foster a collaborative atmosphere that benefits the project and all the developers involved.
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David Heinemeier Hansson·2y
We once more have no full-time managers at 37signals
37signals has returned to its original structure with no full-time managers. All management tasks are done part-time by individual contributors, including the founders. This approach emphasizes autonomy and minimal managerial overhead, which works for their company size of about 60 people. The structure relies on hiring self-sufficient 'managers of one' and focuses on addressing fundamental performance issues at the top level.
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Medium Engineering·2y
A New Era of Medium Engineering
Medium's engineering team is embarking on a new era focused on long-term stability and success. Previous efforts were geared towards rapid improvement, but now the emphasis is on sustaining excellence and building a robust future. Key principles include prioritizing correctness, owning the 'how' in projects, adhering to processes, maintaining focus, and innovating uniquely. This transition aims to foster a world-class engineering culture that supports Medium's growth into a dependable multi-billion dollar company.
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Tech Lead Digest·2y
Typical First Years of Startup Engineering Leadership
Many VC-backed startups share common traits and face similar pitfalls in their early years. Understanding these common issues and strategies to mitigate them can be crucial for engineering leaders. Key areas discussed include the importance of organizational architecture, the roles and guidance needed for team members, and effective strategies for building and running executive teams as the company scales.
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Substack·2yLessons I'm still learning
Building Sublime has been a journey full of lessons, including embracing the time things take and avoiding harmful comparisons. The founder reflects on creating a sustainable, niche business and combining utility with a unique spirit. Key themes include aligning business goals with personal values, the power of clear positioning, and the benefits of fostering a calm, intentional work environment. Sublime aims to inspire and intellectually nourish its users while committing to a decade-long vision for success.
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Community Picks·2y
Devs vs. DevOps – Is there a ‘war’ going on?
The post explores the ongoing tension between developers (Devs) and operations teams (DevOps). It highlights the differences in their roles, responsibilities, and goals within the software development lifecycle, which often leads to misunderstandings and conflicts. The post also touches on the importance of collaboration and communication to bridge these divides and enhance productivity.
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The Verge·2y
Nothing is requiring employees to be in the office five days a week
Nothing has mandated all 450 employees to work from the company's London office five days a week, citing improved collaboration and innovation as the reasons. CEO Carl Pei emphasized that remote work is not compatible with the company's high ambition and speed. While other tech companies have rolled back remote policies to a three-day in-office requirement, Nothing's full-week mandate may be a tough adjustment for employees used to remote work since the company's inception during Covid in 2020.
