tl;dr in tech - Issue #77

Setting Engineering Org Values#

Will Larson#

tl;dr: Will tackles the great engineering org value debate like a pro, answering the big questions and sharing his secrets to success. Discover how to create a values-based engineering team that’s more powerful than a mustang in full gallop! 🐴

Corporate Legibility for Software Engineers#

Matt Blewitt#

tl;dr: “Corporate legibility is the art of making tasks, and their outcomes, easier to understand for those not directly involved.” Matt shows you how to become a corporate legibility master and boost your career faster than a tumbleweed in a windstorm. 🌪️

Start Coding At The Point Of Least Certainty#

Swizec Teller#

tl;dr: Swizec reminds us that “you know you can get a monkey” but challenges us to think about whether we can “train the monkey to jump through the hoop?” Don’t just code the easy parts, partners - tackle the tough stuff head-on! 🐒

Numbers To Know For Managing (Software Teams)#

By: Unknown

tl;dr: The authors provide a list of numbers for managing software teams, covering topics like minimum number of direct reports, candidates to interview before deciding, days before a new hire should merge a pull request, and days before a small support issue becomes a large one. These insights may help software engineers better understand team management.

Pull The Andon Cord#

By: Taylor Pearson

tl;dr: Taylor Pearson discusses Toyota’s Andon Cord, which could halt the assembly line when pulled by a worker who spotted an issue. The worker then had to propose a solution. This process had two benefits: (1) it made workers feel trusted and involved, and (2) it increased quality by tapping into workers’ tacit knowledge. A valuable lesson for software engineers on empowering team members.

Automating Safe, Hands-Off Deployments#

By: Clare Liguori

tl;dr: Clare Liguori outlines the steps a code change goes through in an Amazon pipeline on its way to production, detailing the four major phases: source, build, test, and production. This article offers software engineers valuable insights into continuous delivery pipelines and how a typical AWS service team might set one up.

Tag Systems#

Daniel Stenberg#

tl;dr: Daniel throws caution to the wind and shares his “non-comprehensive, poorly-researched thoughts on tag systems.” It’s like a wild west saloon chat about tag systems without worrying about the nitty-gritty. 🍻

Python’s “Disappointing” Superpowers#

Luke Plant#

tl;dr: Luke laments the potential loss of Python’s dynamic features, fearing a future where Python is just another C# or Java. Don’t let Python’s superpowers go to waste, folks! 💥

Rust’s Ugly Syntax#

Alex Kladov#

tl;dr: Alex boldly claims that “most of the time when people think they have an issue with Rust’s syntax, they actually object to Rust’s semantics.” Dive into this mind-bending exploration of syntax vs. semantics and emerge a Rust aficionado. 🦀

Various Ways Of Sending Mail Via SMTP#

Charles Ulrich#

tl;dr: Charles proves that SMTP ain’t all that bad, showing us how to send emails with minimal fuss. It’s like having your own personal Pony Express rider delivering your messages! 💌