MORE JOEL ON SOFTWARE: Further Thoughts on Diverse and Occasionally Related Matters That Will Prove of Interest to Software Developers, Designers, and Managers, and to Those Who, Whether by Good Fortune or Ill Luck, Work with Them in Some Capacity

MORE JOEL ON SOFTWARE: Further Thoughts on Diverse and Occasionally Related Matters That Will Prove of Interest to Software Developers, Designers, and Managers, and to Those Who, Whether by Good Fortune or Ill Luck, Work with Them in Some Capacity

Released June 2008
Publisher(s): Apress
ISBN: 9781430209874

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Book description

Joel, Apress, Blogs, and Blooks

...I was learning the hard way about how to be a publisher and probably spending way too much time looking at web sites and programming than I should have in response to that. Anyway, one day I came across this web site called , which was run by a guy with strong opinions and an unusual, clever writing style, along with a willingness to take on the conventional wisdom. In particular, he was writing this ongoing series about how bad most user interfaces were—mostly because programmers by and large knew, as Joel and I would say, using the same Yiddish–derived NYC vernacular that we both share, “bupkis” about what users really want. And I, like many, was hooked both by the series and the occasional random essay that Joel wrote. And then I had this epiphany: I'm a publisher, I like reading his stuff, why not turn it into a book?...

Read the complete Foreword

— Gary Cornell, Cofounder, Apress

Since the release of the bestselling title Joel on Software in 2004, requests for a sequel have been relentless. So, we went back to the famed JoelonSoftware.com archives and pulled out a new batch of favorites, many of which have been downloaded over one million times. With Joel’s newest book, More Joel on Software, you’ll get an even better (not to mention updated) feast of Joel’s opinions and impressions on software development, software design, running a software business, and so much more.

This is a new selection of essays from the author’s web site, http://www.joelonsoftware.com.

Joel Spolsky started his weblog in March 2000 in order to offer his insights, based on years of experience, on how to improve the world of programming. This weblog has become infamous among the programming world, and is linked to more than 600 other web sites and translated into 30+ languages!

Spolsky’s extraordinary writing skills, technical knowledge, and caustic wit have made him a programming guru. With the success of Joel on Software, there has been a strong demand for additional gems and advice, and this book is the answer to those requests.

Containing a collection of all–new articles from the original, More Joel on Software has even more of an edge than the original, and the tips for running a business or managing people have far broader application than the software industry. We feel it is safe to say that this is the most useful book you will buy this year.

What you'll learn

  • The best approaches to managing and hiring extraordinary people

  • Advice for those interested in the software industry as a career and for managers who want to get them

  • Joel’s unique impressions of how to create products and design—good and bad

  • An “in the trenches” look at how to start and run an effective software business (or any business for that matter)

  • A true sense of what it takes to create a differentiated, unique, motivated organization

Who this book is for

Anyone interested in the software business will truly enjoy this book, but in particular this should be required reading for managers of technical businesses.

Table of contents

  1. Title Page
  2. Dedication
  3. CONTENTS
  4. JOEL, APRESS, BLOGS, AND BLOOKS
  5. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  6. part one: Managing People
    1. one: MY FIRST BILLG REVIEW
    2. two: FINDING GREAT DEVELOPERS
      1. Where are all those great developers?
      2. Can I get them anyway?
      3. To the mountain, Jeeves!
      4. Internships
      5. Build the community (*hard)
      6. Employee referrals: may be slippery when wet
      7. A field guide to developers
    3. three: A FIELD GUIDE TO DEVELOPERS
      1. Private offices
      2. The physical workspace
      3. Toys
      4. The social life of developers
      5. What am I working on?
      6. Can I identify with the company?
      7. One thing that programmers don't care about
    4. four: THREE MANAGEMENT METHODS (INTRODUCTION)
    5. five: THE COMMAND AND CONTROL MANAGEMENT METHOD
    6. six: THE ECON 101 MANAGEMENT METHOD
    7. seven: THE IDENTITY MANAGEMENT METHOD
      1. Conclusion
  7. part two: Advice to Potential Programmers
    1. eight: THE PERILS OF JAVASCHOOLS
    2. nine: TALK AT YALE
    3. ten: ADVICE FOR COMPUTER SCIENCE COLLEGE STUDENTS
      1. Learn how to write before graduating
      2. Learn C before graduating
      3. Learn microeconomics before graduating
      4. Don't blow off non-CS classes just because they're boring
      5. Take programming-intensive courses
      6. Stop worrying about all the jobs going to India
      7. No matter what you do, get a good summer internship
  8. part three: The Impact of Design
    1. eleven: FONT SMOOTHING, ANTI-ALIASING, AND SUBPIXEL RENDERING
    2. twelve: A GAME OF INCHES
    3. thirteen: THE BIG PICTURE
    4. fourteen: CHOICES = HEADACHES
    5. fifteen: IT'S NOT JUST USABILITY
      1. Some examples
      2. Designing social software
      3. Marketing social interfaces
      4. A new field
    6. sixteen: BUILDING COMMUNITIES WITH SOFTWARE
  9. part four: MANAGING LARGE PROJECTS
    1. seventeen: MARTIAN HEADSETS
    2. eighteen: WHY ARE THE MICROSOFT OFFICE FILE FORMATS SO COMPLICATED? (AND SOME WORKAROUNDS)
    3. nineteen: WHERE THERE'S MUCK, THERE'S BRASS
  10. part five: Programming Advice
    1. twenty: EVIDENCE-BASED SCHEDULING
      1. 1. Break 'er down
      2. 2. Track elapsed time
      3. 3. Simulate the future
      4. Obsessive-compulsive disorder not required
      5. 4. Manage your projects actively
      6. Scope creep
      7. While we're at it
      8. Summary
      9. P.S.
    2. twenty-one: STRATEGY LETTER VI
      1. Limited-memory, limited-CPU environments
      2. A portable programming language
      3. High interactivity and UI standards
    3. twenty-two: CAN YOUR PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE DO THIS?
    4. twenty-three: MAKING WRONG CODE LOOK WRONG
      1. An example
      2. A general rule
      3. I'm Hungary
      4. More reading
  11. part six: Starting a Software Business
    1. twenty-four: FOREWORD TO ERIC SINK ON THE BUSINESS OF SOFTWARE
    2. twenty-five: FOREWORD TO MICRO-ISV: FROM VISION TO REALITY
    3. twenty-six: HITTING THE HIGH NOTES
      1. But wait, there's more!
      2. But wait, there's even more!
  12. part seven: Running a Software Business
    1. twenty-seven: BIONIC OFFICE
      1. Bottom line it for me
    2. twenty-eight: UP THE TATA WITHOUT A TUTU
    3. twenty-nine: SIMPLICITY
    4. thirty: RUB A DUB DUB
    5. thirty-one: TOP TWELVE TIPS FOR RUNNING A BETA TEST
    6. thirty-two: SEVEN STEPS TO REMARKABLE CUSTOMER SERVICE
      1. 1. Fix everything two ways
      2. 2. Suggest blowing out the dust
      3. 3. Make customers into fans
      4. 4. Take the blame
      5. 5. Memorize awkward phrases
      6. 6. Practice puppetry
      7. 7. Greed will get you nowhere
      8. 8. (Bonus!) Give customer service people a career path
  13. part eight: Releasing Software
    1. thirty-three: PICKING A SHIP DATE
    2. thirty-four: CAMELS AND RUBBER DUCKIES
      1. Some economic theory
  14. part nine: Revising Software
    1. thirty-five: FIVE WHYS
    2. thirty-six: SET YOUR PRIORITIES
  15. INDEX

Product information

  • Title: MORE JOEL ON SOFTWARE: Further Thoughts on Diverse and Occasionally Related Matters That Will Prove of Interest to Software Developers, Designers, and Managers, and to Those Who, Whether by Good Fortune or Ill Luck, Work with Them in Some Capacity
  • Author(s):
  • Release date: June 2008
  • Publisher(s): Apress
  • ISBN: 9781430209874