How to Criticize Computer Scientists (2001)

Re:How to Criticize Computer Scientists (2001) by hn8788 on Monday March 29, 2021 @09:52AM (#26621532)

I had an insufferable coworker who doubled down on that attitude. If he hadn't thought of something, instead of just saying he could have done it, he'd start rambling about why it was a bad idea, and that he was smart for choosing not to do it. His whole attitude was "I know everything, and if I don't know it, it's because it's not worth knowing". Worst part was the non-technical management ate it up because he was so confidently wrong, so people got dragged into working on his convuluted solutions that just happened to always match up with his skillset.

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Re:How to Criticize Computer Scientists (2001) by titzer on Monday March 29, 2021 @01:56PM (#26625665)

This describes an uncomfortably high fraction of CS people.

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Re:How to Criticize Computer Scientists (2001) by lallysingh on Monday March 29, 2021 @03:41PM (#26627198)

And very clumpy. Some places are nearly full, some nearly empty.

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Re:How to Criticize Computer Scientists (2001) by dfee on Monday March 29, 2021 @12:08PM (#26623931)

So how do you productively deal with this? There’s got to be a way, I just don’t know what it is.

The worse form of this is when they: 1) make poor choices faster than you can catch up

2) have a less senior team (in ability, not title) that can’t see more than a couple commits ahead to keep the damage in check.

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Re:How to Criticize Computer Scientists (2001) by Thursday032521 on Monday March 29, 2021 @02:32PM (#26626218)

> So how do you productively deal with this?

Explain it in your exit interview.

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Re:How to Criticize Computer Scientists (2001) by whatshisface on Monday March 29, 2021 @03:33PM (#26627084)

I know you're joking, but it's considered impolite to explain things in exit interviews.

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Re:How to Criticize Computer Scientists (2001) by Thursday032521 on Tuesday March 30, 2021 @09:12AM (#26634179)

I'm not- in every exit interview I offer polite, constructive feedback.

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Re:How to Criticize Computer Scientists (2001) by jldl805 on Monday March 29, 2021 @05:03PM (#26628150)

Not if done professionally, positively, specifically, and helpfully.

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Re:How to Criticize Computer Scientists (2001) by potta_coffee on Monday March 29, 2021 @03:47PM (#26627260)

I have to deal with a couple of people like this and it's a waking nightmare. I'm trying to figure out if it's even possible to mitigate their damage or successfully negotiate with them, or if I just need to change jobs. This behavior is especially bad when it comes from manager / team lead types.

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