What's it all about, Alfie?

I just had a conversation with a co-worker, a good guy with all the best of intentions, and a solid core of wanting to help people. In the past, I've been a little taken aback by some of the things he's advised me to do - most notably, to have patience with this organization, and to accept that it'll be a year or so before people really start to listen to me.

He is not alone. I've heard that many times from several very senior people, and it still makes me giggle... as if the hiring process were somehow just a game, and the real vetting of people comes after they are hired. I still giggle...

But today it's about people being adults and the problem of putting a bunch of folks into a group and expecting them to play nice with one another. Most frustrating to me today is that you can't expect them to act like adults much of the time. Forget acting professional - I'm just asking that when someone is nice, polite, patient - that it would be really nice to have the person... I don't know... answer you?

I know this isn't unique to any one organization. Dilbert is filled with examples of this every week and we all laugh at the antics there... but it really happens, and it really is a chore to be doing a job you don't necessarily enjoy, and being polite, kind, patient - just doesn't seem to work.

I'm old enough to know that this has nothing to do with me, or this line of work, or the specific people involved. I've seen it at almost every place I've ever worked. Some are more up-front about it than others, but they all suffer from it. It's people. It's just people. Sadly, it's a frustration that I know has no outlet. It's just something that has to be accepted with a quiet shake of the head, and then let it go.

People don't change because they see a better way. They don't change because someone asks them. No... they change because they want to - simple as that. There may be a million reasons why - but they have to choose it, and nothing I can possibly do - other than what I've already done, is going to change that. It's their path, and they have to take the steps and learn what they have to learn.

And I do too.

One of the things I'm finally coming to terms with is that I am exactly who I am. Sounds silly - but here's the point that brought this up. A very good friend just sent me a link to a place he'd like to spend a long weekend on his next birthday. It's in the Bahamas, and it's a little cottage right on the ocean. It's secluded... it's small... it's beautiful, and it's got an amazing expanse of water to see. I don't think I could imagine a more amazing view - I'm sure they exist, but this was really spectacular.

And yet I know I'm never going there. Not in this lifetime. These last five years have been transformative for me, and I have come to learn things about myself that I was never forced to see, and I pray most people don't have to. But it's also shown me that the thought of a vacation is just relaxing at home. I know it's not what I'm capable of, but it's what I'm capable of enjoying at this point in my life.

Life happens. It changes us. We adapt. We move on, and we try to find the path that we are comfortable walking.

I've worked with folks that identify requirements for a system, or a group of systems, that are going to be significant issues for the system - and might be used in maybe 10-20% of the cases that we'll run into. Yes... there is no doubt that if it is needed, then having it integrated into the very core of the system will make it very easy to add. But for those times when it's not needed, it's an unnecessary complexity that will cost every project in many little ways:

• Increased Dependencies - there is no need to include things that aren't used, but if you make it part of the scaffolding in the web app - it's there whether you want it tor not.
• Training and Discipline - since this is not natural for Javascript, it's going to mean that the developers that do this coding will have to be trained not to break the rules of the new scaffolding, and they will have to have more discipline than they'd otherwise have to in order not to violate a rule of the system and endanger the system.

and while this doesn't seem like a lot - it's really quite a bit when you're trying to bring in large groups of decoupled web developers. They don't mean to be careless, but UIs seem to get re-written about every nine months to a year, as the new Javascript framework is released, and if not compatible with the old. So it's almost like the UI code is throw-away code.

Not that I'm a fan fan of throw-away code, but I do recognize what's happening in this industry, and that's just whee things are headed. Evidence is hard to ignore.

So... when is a requirement not really a requirement? If it's for a small percentage - really it's hedging a bet that this will be needed. Because if it's never needed, or has limited need, the cost will far exceed the benefit, and this will be seen as a massively complex system. No one wants that.

For now, I'm being told it's a requirement and that means in it goes. If they are right - then it'll be one of the best projections I've ever seen, and they will be heralded as a true visionary. But if not... well... it could easily go the other way.