One thing I don't do any more at work is try to push better approaches, architecture etc. Unless you are in an early-stage startup you will never have the leeway or clout to make it happen.
Instead I'll try and make little changes and suggestions here and there. Hey, maybe I can document this build process? How about a <button> instead of a <div> here?
@danjac@hengymrohebwlad I'm old and cynical too, but... You guys might want to read up on the concept of psychological safety. A good workplace has it and it enables this class of problems not to be swept under the rug to create ever-increasing pain.
The least that should happen is convincing everybody to assume the "leave things in a slightly better state than you found them" attitude mentioned above. One step better is getting permission for a "refactoring task force" or something similar.
@szakib@hengymrohebwlad I'm aware of the concept. And tried to push for "refactoring task force".
Ultimately though if you are in a good workplace, then you are unlikely to have these issues (I guess the "broken windows" metaphor works here). If you aren't, you're just going to be pushing water uphill.
@danjac@hengymrohebwlad I've been to places that are "good" in the present, but were not in the past, so there is legacy code and legacy attitudes, but there is a willingness to do something about it. Maybe my favourite kind of place. (Making existing things better is kinda my mission in life.)
@szakib@danjac Yes indeed. There also comes a time when you have to weigh up the pros and cons of staying in an unhappy work situation or looking for something better. I'm lucky that my current workplace is pretty decent in most respects, and I've learned not to try to crusade on issues that have too much inertia (due to tech debt/legacy, cost, politics, whatever) to be changed by us grunts at ground level. YMMV as they say.🙂
@hengymrohebwlad@danjac That's approximately my attitude too. There is always something else, almost always soemthing better when it's time to go. My tolerance for office BS is getting less and less over the years. Seen the same stupid stuff too many times.
@szakib@hengymrohebwlad also there are other things that can make up a "good workplace". If it's otherwise a nice place to work with decent pay, I would worry less about the legacy code and poor test coverage.
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