A psyched Getting Real reader writes to tell us that the book has led to a new project in which he's "finally having fun writing software again."
I just finished reading 'Getting Real', and I have to say it's one of the best software reads I've come across in a long, long time.
I've been working on a project for the last two years that's so Not Real it's not even funny. Every time a feature is even *mentioned*, my managers create a design document out of it and present that feature -- unimplemented -- to customers. If we described all the features that my managers consider to be part of our product, it would probably fill ten or twelve hundred page tomes. Yet, only about 50 pages are implemented -- and half-assedly, at that.
Even worse, my manager is obsessed with "Agile", but doesn't seem to actually understand any of it even at the most basic level.
It's really demoralizing.
The only good to come out of this experience? I decided start my own software company with a friend from college. The idea we have is great (I think) and I'm finally having fun writing software again, because I'm writing it under constraints -- the constraints of my day job, and of real life. Gone are my class diagrams, design documents, and long-winded e-mails. I have arrived at a happy place of producing features and code, living in passion, and designing a product that is actually useful (or will be, I hope)!
Reading this book comes at the perfect time. I don't know how I didn't find it before. Thanks so much for writing it!
Thanks! Looking to get inspired? Check out Getting Real.
(Note: The author requested we keep him anonymous.)
