Super Volatile

Krzysztof Szafranek's link blog

Hi, I'm Krzysztof and I make websites.
When I'm not making websites, I read these.
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Joel on Software classics

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Jun 23 / 11:12pm

NDAs and Contracts That You Should Never Sign

On a similar note, a lot of companies have the audacity to put non-compete clauses in their employment contracts. Typically, this says that you agree not to work for one of their "competitors" or even "potential competitors" (which is never very well defined) for a period, usually 1 or 2 years, after leaving the company.

This is completely outrageous. I signed such a contract at Microsoft without paying too much attention. When I left, I realized that because Microsoft has a finger in everything related to software, technically I could not work in my field AT ALL for 12 months after leaving Microsoft.

more on joelonsoftware.com

Note to self: read this article before signing up for the next gig.

Filed under: Joel on Software classics   work  
 
May 22 / 11:21am

Getting Things Done When You're Only a Grunt - Joel on Software

None of these strategies work if you're not really an excellent contributor. If you don't write good code, and lots of it, you're just going to be resented for messing around with bug databases when you "should be" writing code. There's nothing more deadly to your career than having a reputation of being so concerned with process that you don't accomplish anything.
more on joelonsoftware.com

You work in a horrible software house? Leave it. Or change it, starting from yourself. Joel's guide to improving workplace.

Filed under: Joel on Software classics   workplace  
 
May 14 / 11:31pm

Where do These People Get Their (Unoriginal) Ideas? - Joel on Software

Forget the free coffee and drinks. Sure they're free at Microsoft... who wants to be like Microsoft?
more on joelonsoftware.com

Joel's article on broken ideas for a workplace. Now they seem even more obviously stupid, but are still widely applied.

Filed under: Joel on Software classics   workplace  
 
Apr 11 / 2:09am

Good Software Takes Ten Years. Get Used To it. - Joel on Software

Around 1996, the New York Times first noticed that new Netscape web browser releases were coming out every six months or so, much faster than the usual 2 year upgrade cycle people were used to from companies like Microsoft. This led to the myth that there was something called "Internet time" in which "business moved faster." Which would be nice, but it wasn't true. Software was not getting created any faster, it was just getting released more often.
more on joelonsoftware.com

Software, like wine, needs time to mature. Get used to that. It doesn't mean that you cannot get your 1.0 fast, but don't think it will be a mature product.

From The Best of Joel on Software.

Filed under: Joel on Software classics   software development  
 
Apr 8 / 12:06am

Incentive Pay Considered Harmful - Joel on Software

Most people think that they do pretty good work (even if they don't). It's just a little trick our minds play on us to keep life bearable. So if everybody thinks they do good work, and the reviews are merely correct (which is not very easy to achieve), then most people will be disappointed by their reviews.
more on joelonsoftware.com

Doing performance reviews is one of the hardest things the managers in corporate environments have to do. Here is why.

Filed under: Joel on Software classics   work  
 
Mar 9 / 1:06am

Don't Let Architecture Astronauts Scare You - Joel on Software

Last month, we got Microsoft Hailstorm. That white paper says:

People are not in control of the technology that surrounds them....HailStorm makes the technology in your life work together on your behalf and under your control.

more on joelonsoftware.com

A classic article worth re-reading every few months or years. By the way, does anybody remembers HailStorm any more?

Filed under: Joel on Software classics   software development