"software engineers" entries

Open source won, so what’s next?

What to expect at OSCON 2015.

OSCON 2014 show floor

Twenty years ago, open source was a cause. Ten years ago, it was the underdog. Today, it sits upon the Iron Throne ruling all it surveys. Software engineers now use open source frameworks, languages, and tools in almost all projects.

When I was putting together the program for OSCON with the other program chairs, it occurred to me that by covering “just” open source, we weren’t really leaving out all that much of the software landscape. It seems open source has indeed won, but let’s not gloat; let’s make things even better. Open source has made many great changes to software possible, but the spirit of the founding community goes well beyond code. Read more…

Developer Week in Review: Everyone can program?

There's a big gap between easy-to-use tools and competent programming.

Apple is the latest in a long line of entities that want to bring software development to the masses. Here's why that idea, in general, is doomed to fail.

Moneyball for software engineering, part 2

What if Billy Beane managed a software team?

A look at the "Moneyball"-style metrics and techniques managers can employ to get the most out of their software teams.

Top Stories: October 10-14, 2011

The obstacles of indoor navigation, "Moneyball" for software engineers, and a call for hyperlinking restraint.

This week on O'Reilly: Nick Farina explained why smartphones have yet to crack the indoor navigation problem, we explored the relationship between "Moneyball" and software engineering, and Pete Meyers looked at the pros and cons of links in ebooks.