Gerald M. Weinberg has died
facebook.com
facebook.com
"... while riding a bus in New York City, he observed a mother with eight small children embark. She asked the driver the amount of the fare; he told her that the cost was thirty-five cents, but that children under the age of five could ride for free. When the woman deposited only thirty-five cents into the payment slot, the driver was incredulous. "Do you mean to tell me that all your children are under five years old?" The woman explained that she had four sets of twins. The driver replied, "Do you always have twins?" "No," said the woman, "most of the time we don't have any."
It makes more sense in the context of his Law of Twins:
> most of the time, no matter how much effort one expends, no event of any great significance will result
What a great outlook on life.
[0] 'The Secrets of Consulting: A Guide to Giving and Getting Advice Successfully', Weinberg
Vicar to parishioner: "My word, Mrs. Jones, do you always have twins?" Mrs. Jones: "Oh, no sir, most of the time we don't have anything."
Jerry's blog: http://secretsofconsulting.blogspot.com/
Jerry's books: https://leanpub.com/u/jerryweinberg
Wow, I didn't realize exactly how prolific Jerry had been. There's some really interesting stuff there that I didn't know about before. Glad you shared that.
It's always sad when the good ones go. RIP Jerry.
Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerald_Weinberg
He truly did make the world a better place.
If anything, I feel like now I want to read a few more of his books as a mark of respect.
And, you know, because they were excellent
Pretty much the wisest author of all. Most of the time I feel like I owe everything I know to him.
http://secretsofconsulting.blogspot.com/2018/06/why-would-an...
> Weinberg's Second Law: If builders built buildings the way programmers wrote programs, then the first woodpecker that came along would destroy civilization.
Weinberg’s books are filled with named “laws”, so many that some of his books have an appendix that lists them all. Here’s one of my favorites:
> Boulding’s Backward Basis: Things are the way they are because they got that way.
[Quality Software Management, Vol. 1: Systems Thinking]
He's been in poor health, but this wasn't expected and Dani is coping with all of the things that need to be done. I told her that I would announce it to his friends and colleagues on Facebook, since she doesn't use social media.
I've been using the things he taught me a lot this summer, with some challenging personal and professional situations. I'm so glad I managed to tell him that while he could still hear it.
Knowing him made me a better person. His life goal was to empower Smart People to Be Happy. He succeeded.
Requiescat in pace, Jerry.
There's a less know book written by him: Weinberg on Writing: The Fieldstone Method
It's the only book I've found that teaches you how to steal like an writer, which the book Steal Like an Artist advocates but doesn't get into how to actually do it.
Sounds like a smart guy. I'll have to get some of his books.
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Sue Petersen > Gerald M Weinberg
There is no easy way to say this, and certainly no easy way to hear it. I am writing this on the evening of August 7th, 2018. Jerry died last night.
He's been in poor health, but this wasn't expected and Dani is coping with all of the things that need to be done. I told her that I would announce it to his friends and colleagues on Facebook, since she doesn't use social media.
I've been using the things he taught me a lot this summer, with some challenging personal and professional situations. I'm so glad I managed to tell him that while he could still hear it.
Knowing him made me a better person. His life goal was to empower Smart People to Be Happy. He succeeded.
Requiescat in pace, Jerry.
As if his death was not depressing enough, there are still places that do this...
Every time a black bar is put for someone, his importance is immediately compared to the importance of other great people who died. Frankly I think it does a disservice not only to those who don't get a black-bar, but also to those who do.
The use of the black bar seems to be determined by the moderators based on who has had a profound influence on themselves and other more active members of the HN community.
When it happens, I learn something interesting or valuable about that person's contribution to the field, in a way that I possibly wouldn't if it weren't for the black bar.
It's an important and useful community custom, yet debating its use (and protesting that some other person didn't get it) happens every time and always detracts from an otherwise congenial discussion thread. As much as it seems necessary, it really isn't the case that someone always has to be that person. Please just let it go.
His book, The Secrets of Consulting, was the first to help me get my head screwed on straight. I can't tell you how often his "Orange Juice Rule" helped me make a better decision.