Joe's Jottings

Jottings Number 55, Reply D, by David Straker:

Date: Thu, 16 May 96 07:13:08 -0700

     
>From Masa Habu's response...

>in Nintendo-type game software industry.  I have read an article 
>which points out that a Japanese game software industry is young 
>and very "undisciplined".  It's a high-risk, high-return market 
>where a key software designer/engineer gets paid a lot.  This 
>high pay attracts talented people seeking a fortune.  Of course, 
>the majority would just fail.  It is a high-risk business.

I was that man. Before being at HP, I was a reasonably successful programmer 
in a games company (I initiated two patents whilst there). I left because of 
(a) boredom with the same old thing (b) the risk (we had two bust periods in 4 
years), but must of all (c) the frantic hacking.

I sought a better way (and even wrote a book about it) at HP, where sadly, and 
maybe unsurprisingly, I found that the 'better' programmers still had an 
aversion to such basics as comments ('it's obvious!').

I'm still seeking a better way, but not in software.

Dave

.......................................................................

FROM: STRAKER_DAVID/HP-UnitedKingdom_om1@opnmail1
TO: PODOLSKY_JOE/HP-PaloAlto_om4@opnmail1

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