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Re:Doing is normally distributed, learning is log-normal by eru on Tuesday May 28, 2024 @05:00AM (#40498825)
It's always amusing to read Fred Brooks' own lamentations.

He's flattered that people still quote him, but also horrified that what he thought was his first, fledgling start in software project management is still quoted as start of the art. We haven't learned anything.

Re:Doing is normally distributed, learning is log-normal by bckr on Tuesday May 28, 2024 @08:19AM (#40499970)
Surely we’ve learned some things?

After Mythical Man Month there’s been other books (and talks), yes?

I’ve read The Phoenix Project (based on The Goal) and its sequels.

What should be on every EM’s shelf?

Re:Doing is normally distributed, learning is log-normal by eru on Tuesday May 28, 2024 @11:04AM (#40501400)
> Surely we’ve learned some things?

I was exaggerating a bit.

Brooks lamented that we've learned so little, that his observations stay relevant, instead of being superseded by something more systematic.

In contrast, if you were learning how to write a compiler or operating system today, you (hopefully!) wouldn't pick up a book published when the Mythical Man Month came out.

Re:Doing is normally distributed, learning is log-normal by skydhash on Tuesday May 28, 2024 @08:40AM (#40500149)
Peopleware by Tom Dermaco & Timothy Lister.

Making Things Happen by Scott Berkun. Bu I haven’t finished reading it yet.