Re: Questions for candidates

[John Fleck <jfleck inkstain net>]

On Mon, 2003-11-24 at 09:47, Pat Costello wrote:
> Luis Villa wrote:
> > 
> > [1] I can QA unmaintained code until the end of time, but that won't get
> > GNOME $NEXT out the door- only coders can fix/release/make improvements
> > in the code. So, in that sense, a coder is more important than I am. I'm
> > only important (in that framework) if I convince coders that they want
> > QA- and I have done that, so I'm important. a11y and other groups
> > /could/ do that- i18n definitely has, for example (more so than QA,
> > even), and usability is moving in that direction. But it's a continual
> > process for each group and must be earned.
> > 
> 
> Luis - we are just going to have to agree to disagree. I do not believe that any part of a successful,
> cohesive team is any more important than another part, in terms of the overall final result. Analogy:
> the guys making the engines in the car factory are the most important because the cars can't function 
> without engines. Tell that to the wheels department, or the brakes team. 

Pat -

I think your metaphor breaks down in an important way that ends up
supporting Luis' argument. In the case of the car, if there are no
brakes or wheels, the car won't work at all.

In the case of the software, if there are no QA or docs or translations,
the software will still work. It will suck, but it will work. That's why
the development system is so code- and coder-centric.

That said (and I didn't hear Luis' talk so I can't say what rot he was
pushing) as a docs person I never felt disenfranchised. Quite the
contrary.

Cheers,
John