Talk: Technical master or software engineering? A proposition that is not contradictory

There has always been a confusion, it seems that the normative model of software engineering and dare to be alone into the tiger's top master is two different types of people completely. But now, my view has changed. The development of software gurus and specifications may not be contradictory.

Early software development, because it involves a small number of people, so give a mysterious feeling. Software developers of that era faced a room full of machines and devices all day, busy writing arcane digital codes. It does give people a sense of highbrow. However, with the advent of high-level languages and operating systems, more and more people are involved in software developers, and it seems that software development is increasingly becoming a very common task. However, the aura of the master is still mysterious. Today's experts, often considered as mastering the bottom of the control system software, hardware core mechanisms of hackers, system security professionals, operating system designers, compiler developers and other still mysterious people. Developers of application software developers seem to have become common programmers. In people's impressions, the development of ordinary programmers need standardized software engineering to manage, and the master has entered a superb position, you can freely in the software system to soar. Thus, unconsciously, in the master of the freedom and software engineering norms seem to set up a high wall, will be isolated in two worlds. But is that really the case? Here are two main points of view.

(1) Master is the system of the perpetrators of the destruction.

In the early days of software engineering (probably in the the 1970s), when all software developers were considered masters, perhaps no one would have had such doubts. Because the software engineering of that era is precisely the weapon that prepares for the master. However, all this has changed quietly in the present era. Software development seems to have become a "dream" that everyone can easily achieve. As a matter of practice, software engineering has become a way to manage "screws", aiming to turn a team of non-experts into a working team that can effectively develop software. On the contrary, it seems that the pros don't have to follow this rule, because they can almost complete a task that is not performed by an efficient team (at least for the small and medium-sized project groups). Thus, in the field of management, we can sometimes hear some about the "master" and "system" between the sound of friction. For example, a team of the master is not obedient, should be left or should be a substitution. Thus, the master seems to have become the "destruction" system of "troublemakers." They are arrogant, undisciplined, and hinder the overall power of the entire team.

Behind this phenomenon, I would like to think of the following: First, the most difficult to see is the real master. Second, the real master is not difficult to control. Third, but also the most important point, if you really encounter a master, whether should consider to give him greater pressure to challenge himself. In fact, like martial arts masters, software experts also hope to continue to learn new martial Arts. Therefore, for the solution of this problem, may wish to consider two aspects: he is a master. If he is a master, he is doing an important task that should be done by him.

The last point of this problem is to let the master convinced, in fact, is not an easy thing. After all, it is difficult to be convinced by the ability to become a leader purely by "management". How to do not appear "layman guidance professionals", is indeed worth pondering the problem. Therefore, for most technical enterprises or departments, the general technical managers will come from the people with technical background.

(2) The bottom-level details of the system are only decisive for specific areas

On the other hand, as the education of software engineering becomes more and more popular, more and more people begin to realize the importance of management in software development. As a result, it is recognized that demand is important, that design and modelling are important, that processes are important, and methodologies are important. The core mechanism for the underlying software seems to be related only to equipment manufacturers or security experts who develop the underlying hardware drivers. Even in many cases, there is a growing need to consider the details of design and implementation in the early stages of development without consideration or even consideration. and "Master" of the ability, precisely reflected in the bottom of the details of the grasp on.

For the consideration of this problem, we can draw on the experience of chess field. People who have played Weiqi or other chess know that the difference between a 9-segment master and an amateur is not only a huge difference in macro, but also in detail. The true master, must have the extremely strong thought strength, this lets them be able to roam in the broad and the deep abstract world. This is precisely suitable for software experts, it is their high productivity, product quality assurance. In fact, an in-depth understanding of the underlying system not only helps us to write high-quality software, but also helps to avoid many errors. Software debugging ability, testing level, for software designers is also very important. Therefore, in XP methodology and agile development, more and more people began to emphasize discipline while emphasizing that developers should constantly improve their skills, and strive to become a true master of sufficient technical ability and normative behavior.