Re:The LeBron James of Programmers
by supersystem on Thursday February 27, 2014 @03:58AM
(#7311144)
PG is just making stuff up as usual. That "theory" isn't even consistent over a few sentences.
"In our world, you sink or swim, and there are no excuses."
"The top 5% of programmers probably write 99% of the good software."
So 95% of programmers make 1% of the good software, but somehow they aren't "sinking"? By comparison what do think happens to the far far majority of players that doesn't get drafted to the NBA?
> That doesn't sound accurate to me. How can 10 mediocre programmers do the work of 1 spectacular programmer? I'm guessing this only applies when we're talking about mundane stuff.
90% of the software that gets developed worldwide is mundane stuff. There's a gazillion mediocre programmer bashing away at a useless app That Revolutionizes How You Connect With Your Friends for every good programmer that hacks at next-gen filesystem driver or a tinier phone.
That doesn't sound accurate to me. How can 10 mediocre programmers do the work of 1 spectacular programmer? I'm guessing this only applies when we're talking about mundane stuff. Smallish differences in competence translates into large differences in pay/training at the very top of the food chain.
To quote pg:
"This is why so many of the best programmers are libertarians. In our world, you sink or swim, and there are no excuses. When those far removed from the creation of wealth-- undergraduates, reporters, politicians-- hear that the richest 5% of the people have half the total wealth, they tend to think injustice! An experienced programmer would be more likely to think is that all? The top 5% of programmers probably write 99% of the good software." - http://paulgraham.com/wealth.html