…begins with the first step, sure, but what the proverb forgets to mention is that the 1st step is often 999 miles long.
I am a *chuckle* Software Engineer. I prefer the term computer programmer because I don’t like title bloat, and to compare my work to, say, what a bridge builder does would be an insult to the bridge builder. Don’t get me wrong– I take pride in my work, and I believe I do a good job. Yet, no one is going to die if I missed checking for a nil object. Now if I worked for NASA, that would be a different story.
Revenons à nos moutons. Being the sort of tech-minded person that I am, I don’t like using something unless I understand it. The best way for me to understand a technical thing is to reverse engineer it. Now, I think blogging software is pretty complicated. There’s a lot that goes into it– little details to keep track of. So, I’ve never wanted to maintain a blog without writing a blogging engine first.
However, I have (been overcoming) this fear of not starting anything because I might do it wrong the first time. This fear has stopped countless projects in their infancy.
And that is STUPID!
Oh my gosh! I might make a mistake. And as a result, *shudder* learn something. Run in horror.
Of course, the problem is that nothing ever gets done. But, I recently changed jobs from writing device drivers at National Instruments to a more agile company*, where I’ve learned the value in incremental development. I may not have written this blogging software, but that doesn’t mean I couldn’t write one later.
So to recap the main points:
- The first step is the longest/hardest
- It’s okay to mess up the first time – you probably did when you learned to walk
- Using WordPress isn’t a cop out
In fact, that last point is much more eloquently put forth by Frederick P. Brooks in The Mythical Man Month. More specifically that chapter named, “Plan to throw the 1st one away,” or something of the sort. I highly, HIGHLY recommend that book to anyone who does software first and foremost, but there is insight to be gained by everyone in that tome.
* – I will never actually name my current employer because I am an opinionated person politically, and to be sure those opinions will show up here from time to time. My employer doesn’t seem to enforce mental conformity, but there are companies that do. I love my job, and more importantly I love my family. The latter is somewhat dependent on the former, let’s say, and I’m not willing to jeopardize their well-being, for a freaking blog of all things.
