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Craig Nicol (he/him)
Craig Nicol (he/him)

Posted on • Originally published at craignicol.wordpress.com on

You need a manifesto

My software engineers’ manifesto:

  1. We write software to solve problems, not to create them.
  2. We write software for everyone.
  3. Those who don’t write software have things we can learn from.
  4. Always leave the project better than you found it.
  5. Sometimes the best contribution you can make is not writing code.
  6. Sometimes the best contribution you can make is deleting code.
  7. Sometimes the best contribution you can make is by talking to someone.
  8. Software is inclusive. Women broke the Enigma code, and black women got us to the moon.
  9. If you don’t hate in 5 years what you’ve written today, you haven’t learned enough.
  10. If you don’t have compassion for whoever wrote that code 5 years ago, you haven’t learned enough.
  11. If anyone can’t use your software, that’s a bug. Prioritize accordingly.
  12. Overtime is a bug.
  13. Debug your processes with as much attention to detail as you debug your code.
  14. Asking for help is a sign of strength.
  15. Work with the best. Don’t lower your standards to only work with straight cis white men.
  16. Be pragmatic. Shipped code is far more useful than perfect code, but if you can have both, future you will thank you.

Inspired by: You Need A Manifesto https://pca.st/episode/33cb401f-a028-4de2-b20d-ec2c96f2b019

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