Obligatory XKCDs:
- Is It Worth The Time? https://xkcd.com/1205/
- Automation https://xkcd.com/1319/
- Is It Worth The Time? https://xkcd.com/1205/
- Automation https://xkcd.com/1319/
I don't write "reusable" automations - I don't write scripts with parameters. I write a lot of scripts where I open it in notepad to edit and fill in variables.
Most of the times I just put copies of these scripts on specific servers and have variables filled in.
Variables need to change only if I change server or really change config of a server which is almost never.
This way "Automation" xkcd "Theory" fits reality.
Because then instead of rehearsing commands and what was the configuration I just go to the server and run the script and instead 30mins simple task takes me 2 mins.
The reality (for me at least, and I’m sure for others) is that I’d much rather be writing a program than doing drudge work.
The other thing is that a task that takes 30 seconds doesn't just take 30 seconds, the context switch is actually quite a burden and even just having to remember to do the thing.
Would you rather have 10% errors each time or 10% of the time the script has an error and could wipe everything out.
Every place I've worked with accepts 10% returns, 10% of visitors leaving immediately, 10% of a customer's data being incorrect somehow.
Very few accept perfect flawless followed by completely breaking everything 1/10 times.
All I'm saying is that the true costs of manual work usually isn't accounted for correctly. I see these costs spiralling into so much wasted work that it starts incurring more and more risk. Preference for gradual decay over Big Bang collapses isn't nessecarily rational, people tend to prefer living next to coal plants than nuclear plants despite the fact they're far far far more likely to die living next to the coal plant. It is in fact that irrational bias which needs to be resisted.