Values & Best Practices
Every now and again I come across really well written essays that eloquently communicate the way I approach software development, or think in general. I've decided to collect them here on this page instead of filing them away in a bookmarks file, because they deserve the widest possible exposure.
Engineer Levels
Hitting the High Notes by Joel Spolsky - a timeless piece on the difference in both quality and quantity of output between average and top performing engineers.
Being the Averagest by Steve Yegge - another look at why most engineers are average, and how they are different from engineers who are good.
Feedback
Thirty Percent Feedback by Jason Freedman - applies heavily to engineering feedback like code reviews, but also to feedback in general.
Engineering Values
Sort of Obstreperous by Jason Freedman - an excellent treatise of autonomy and ownership in the context of engineering work.
Google Platforms Rant by Steve Yegge - besides being enormously entertaining, this is a reminder to engineering organizations everywhere to keep the bigger picture in mind. Is the product being built the best product that can be built?