The reality is that software is complex and maintaining and running it is also complex. Making sure it continues to work 24/7 is not trivial. And the beeper that goes off when it stops working most likely belongs to a different person than wrote the code.
So, no offense, but get the fuck over yourself or find a new job.
I force myself into coding at least 25% of time because I do not want to become one of those non-coding architects that everyone including themselves despises.
You really can't just draw diagrams, write Software Architecture Documents and assume that what you do makes sense.
Our minds have a tendency to wander off and need constant reality checks to operate properly.
All comparisons to construction business are flawed, because Architects in the construction business have to navigate an entangled reality of regulatory work, client desires, supply chain considerations and all other real-world constraints.
In contrast, Software Architects mostly work in a digital world where almost everything is possible. Their perception of reality drifts unless they fight the sensory deprivation with hands-on coding.
They seem to be very similar - balancing client desires vs. real-world constraints, because no, it is not the case that everything is possible with regards to software architecture. Software architects have to contend with processing constraints, memory constraints, networking constraints, process management and coordination constraints, and organizational constraints. Depending on the industry vertical you're in you may even have to contend with regulatory constraints.
One can totally skip reality checks in software, because there is more variety, more options, crazy amounts of money and general immaturity.
Or is this one of those convenient excuses people make, like "it's just a joke bro!"
“I take you more seriously on matters of architecture if you’re committing code on a regular basis and on the pager duty rotation. Some architects are really good and many are bad or detrimental.”
Is not a take that gets quote tweeted or posted on hacker news.
Tweet threads on topics like this are rarely deep and thoughtfully considered, and when they are, an article or blog post would always be a better format.
When I see this kind of absolutist statement - where someone presumes to have a complete picture of someone & have absolute certainty about what it means - from a brief snapshot like this - I know better than to trust the claims or take them seriously.
> So, no offense, but get the fuck over yourself or find a new job.
Counterproposal: ease the fuck up. Step back. Couch your terms in at some least modicum of hesitancy & humility, that you maybe don't know 100% everything & might not be 100% accurate & correct. You're having their own reaction here: it has only somewhat to do with the post.
There's your problem.