The internet has made defensive writers of us all
I was struck by this passage in Steven Pinker’s article about why academics’ writing stinks:Writers use hedges in the vain hope that it will get them off the hook, or at least allow them to plead...
View ArticleIn praise of universal warmth and kindness toward others in online discussions
A little over a month ago, I started an experiment in being “exceedingly polite” to everyone I interacted with online:Experiment: 1 mo trial period being exceedingly polite to everyone I interact w/...
View ArticleThe problematic culture of "Worse is Better"
Our industry has been infected by a dangerous meme, and it’s one that hasn’t been given its proper scrutiny. Like many memes that explode in popularity, “Worse is Better” gave a name to an underlying...
View ArticleGood teaching makes long-term investments in the learner
In my post on “Worse is Better”, I stated that software development could be viewed as a form of investment management:When a company or an individual develops a new feature, inserts a hack, hires too...
View ArticleHaving a technical discussion without using labels or making it personal
I’ve been doing some thinking about how to have more civil and respectful discussions online. Most people would agree that direct personal attacks and insults are unwelcome, but many times people...
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