Dynamics of Software Development

Richard Price

Author Jim McCarthy.
Published by Microsoft Press. ISBN 1-55615-823-8

"Imagine that Leonardo da Vinci, Tom Peters and Robert Fulghum have co-authored a book on software development, and you'll have an idea of what to expect in Jim McCarthy's Dynamics of Software Development" writes Denis Gilbert in his foreword. Well, I did, and boy, was I disappointed!

Although, if anyone is looking for some inside information on the marketing mind of Microsoft or how they developed C++, you could browse through it. It's basically a documentary of a particular software development team interspersed with anecdotal evidence from Jim McCarthy's wide ranging programming experience. He has condensed his expertise into 54 short essays dealing with the problems of developing and launching a product on time. And working for Microsoft he should know! This book grew out of his talk entitled 21 Rules of Thumb for Shipping Great Software.

The subject of the book appears to be shipping great software on time. Yet, we are told that, "more people have ascended bodily into heaven than have shipped great software on time". Jim McCarthy believes that poorly thought through software development is always late. Yet, he states it is difficult for a group of professionals to predict when any software product will ultimately hit the shelves. He objects to the fact that dates are set by "upper management" or people unfamiliar with software development.

I think the real problem lies in the fact that so many software programmers see themselves as artistic souls. Modern day gurus of alchemy dabbling in a science no one understands. When in reality they are nothing more than the blue collar workers of the 21st Century.

This book reveals no magic formula. It is not even a manual for developing great software on time. If it was it would be more closely guarded then the Coca-Cola recipe. It is just a collection of marketing and motivational hints. Quite frankly, they would have been more useful on a calendar.

Jim McCarthy believes in upgrades as the primary means of communication with the market. By frequently updating, the market learns to relate to your product while you get feedback from their purchasing patterns. I can't wait for the day when software comes with a money back guarantee. I would like to get rid of some of the uselessness I have wasted money on.

This is a book about developing a marketing strategy that forces people into a constant upgrade cycle. It is a strategy he seems intent on applying to this book. In the preface he states, "my hope, of course, is that Dynamics of Software Development contains threads that in later editions or further volumes can be woven into a more comprehensive tapestry".

Jim McCarthy works for Microsoft. His best friend, who wrote the foreword, works for Microsoft. The illustrations are by the author's brother. The book was published by Microsoft Press. It all smacks of vanity publishing. Microsoft must be relying on their marketing department to sell this book. The illustrations are all a bland shade of gray. They look like they were printed from rather bad photocopies, and are about as inspiring as a church notice board.

Anyone looking for a job in software development should at least pop into a bookstore and have a peek at the appendix. The section on "Hiring and Keeping Good People" could give you a few pointers as you claw your way to the top of the software developers heap.

Jim McCarthy lists historical figures, writers and thinkers who have influenced his thinking. These range from Freud to the recent movie Ed Wood. As well as Darwin, Churchill, Lincoln, General Grant, Will and Ariel Durant, Rudolf Arnheim, Picasso, Richard Dawkins and even Shakespeare. I couldn't help thinking of one of those awful award nights. Like the Oscars. When some poor unscripted actor gets up and thanks everybody, the world, God and the family dog for their award.

He also seems to think it relevant to undergo some sort of psychoanalysis. I am not sure who in the industry he is referring to, but after reading this book you may need it.

His revelations about customers are disturbing. "Customers are not going to say, 'your software sucks'. A customer is going to think 'I'm dumb'. And customers are going to stay with you in droves until they think they've smartened up enough-or until your competitor makes them feel smart," he writes. He describes the relationship with customers as a love affair. "Should you neglect the beloved for too long, or otherwise signal you disinterest or rejection, the course of love won't run smooth. Your neglect will cause the market to feel betrayed, hurt, angry and punitive," he says.

Perhaps he was influenced by Mills and Boon as well. I think he is trying to say, if you bring out frequent new releases with a few easy to do minor upgrades, customers will think you care and stick with you.

I can't help feeling that when customers get over their inferiority complex someone in programming is going to have a lot of explaining to do.

By Richard Price, Editor, EnergyME.com

For information on getting a product reviewed email richard@energyme.com