The Nature of Software Development

One of the things I do professionally is to edit books. Obscure, highly-technical books by and for software developers. I think the authors I choose to work with are all remarkable for their grasp of their area of technical expertise and of what it takes to communicate about technology clearly and engagingly. I enjoy working with them.

But I never recommend any of them to the neighbors when we get together for Wednesday night potluck. Because these are highly specialized books for a niche audience. And my neighbors are not software developers.

One book I’m currently editing, though, is an exception. The author, Ron Jeffries, is a legend in software development. And what he’s done is pretty remarkable. He’s taken what he has learned over several decades of work writing software, and distilled it to its essentials.

But then, like a premium vodka distiller, he did it again. And again. To the point where his insights apply far beyond software development. What he came up with is a small book correctly titled The Nature of Software Development. It’s a book I can recommend to my non-software-developing neighbors. Because Ron has distilled this complex human activity down to essentials of defining value, seeking simplicity, managing expectations, and always being finished. The lessons are applicable to any complex, productive activity.

It’s coming out soon. I’ll let you know when it releases.

Author: Michael Swaine

Michael Swaine is a writer and editor. He helped launch the first personal computer newsweekly, InfoWorld. He co-authored Fire in the Valley, the seminal tech history book on which the movie Pirates of Silicon Valley was based. He was editor-in-chief of Dr. Dobb’s Journal and has written for and edited several other magazines. His latest creation is PragPub magazine.