Matthias Noback has written up an article where he suggests "being intolerant on your software development" as it relates to being stubborn about the quality/structure/etc. of your project's code.

During the holiday I read a book mentioned to me by Pim Elshoff: "Skin in the game", by Nassim Nicholas Taleb. Discussing this concept of "skin in the game" with Pim had made me curious about the book.

[...] Something that's controversial, yet interesting for me as a developer in a team - from Chapter 2, "The Most Intolerant Wins: The Dominance of the Stubborn Minority": "Society doesn't evolve by consensus. [...] All one needs is an asymmetric rule somewhere - and someone with soul in the game. And asymmetry is present in about everything."

He relates this back to software development, pointing out that many of the important decisions about a project aren't made by committee. Rather they're made by a single source, either a individual on the team or an outside source of "truth". He makes some suggestions as to how this kind of structure can be put in place by doing more than talking and "having skin in the game" as it relates to the impact your decisions make on your software.

Cal Evans has posted the eighth tip in his six-tip series (but who's counting) about how a client can coordinate better with a developer and make a better relationship for the project. In this new tip, he suggests that the client "own it".

No, I’m not talking about own it as in Point 7 - "Do your part", I mean make sure that at the end of the project, you own the project, not your developer.

He mentions two of the aspects you, the client, will need to worry about once the last line of bug free code has been committed and delivered. Be sure that you own the domain name for the project and have a clear understanding of any intellectual property concerns that might come up (what codebase is it built on, who owns the code - client or developer, etc).

If you've ever been a developer for a company (large or small - it could happen anywhere) and are frustrated because you have developed a technology that was claimed by the company, you're not alone. In fact, Cal Evans has issued a challenge to companies to modify their thinking.

Something has been bugging me for a while now. I’ve been a member of more IT companies than I care to remember. Outside of cube farms, one thing seems to remain constant throughout, a contract that was written in the 1800s. Most (not all) of the employment contracts I have been handed to sign have contained a clause that states something to the effect: While you are working for us, if you invent something we like, we can claim ownership of it.

His suggested solution? Companies need to "stop thinking wrong-headed" and immediately go and claim the technology as their own. A better idea for both the employee and business is more around a "right of refusal" on ideas developed. Cal gets a bit more specific than that in the post and challenges CEOs/managment of technology companies to adjust their processes to work this in.

In a release on the main page of Codewalkers.com today, Matt Wade announced that he and those involved with the Codewalkers website are stepping down and handing the site off to other hands.

It's with mixed emotions that I make this announcement. Codewalkers has officially changed ownership. I feel a great sense of loss handing the site over to someone else, but I know it is going into good hands. Over the years, I've become attached to both the site and the people that make up the community. As I've stated many times before, without the people (that's you!) that come here and contribute, this site would be nothing at all. So, once again, thanks!

Matt will still be participating in the site, just not in such a prominent roll. The group taking over the main roles in the site is the grup from DeveloperShed who also run the DevShed and DevArticles websites.

In a release on the main page of Codewalkers.com today, Matt Wade announced that he and those involved with the Codewalkers website are stepping down and handing the site off to other hands.

It's with mixed emotions that I make this announcement. Codewalkers has officially changed ownership. I feel a great sense of loss handing the site over to someone else, but I know it is going into good hands. Over the years, I've become attached to both the site and the people that make up the community. As I've stated many times before, without the people (that's you!) that come here and contribute, this site would be nothing at all. So, once again, thanks!

Matt will still be participating in the site, just not in such a prominent roll. The group taking over the main roles in the site is the grup from DeveloperShed who also run the DevShed and DevArticles websites.