Jim McCarthy – Great Book, Great Video

Dynamics of Software Development

Jim McCarthy wrote a book called “Dynamics of Software Development”.  If you don’t own it, you should.

I believe it was published in 1995, and I think I read it in 1996. There is little reason for you to do anything else until you get this book and read it.

He has an updated version published in 2006.  The 2006 version includes a CD of Jim’s 23 1/2 Rules of Thumb (For Shipping Great Software On Time.)

You can find this book used for about 1 cent for the 1995 version, and about 2 dollars for the 2006 version.  You have to pay shipping – but still, for 5 or 6 bucks you can get a lot good, old fashioned, unconventional wisdom.  I paid full price for both, and it was well worth it.

If you think the stuff I say is worthwhile, you just might like this book.  If you hate the stuff I say, then this book will give you even more great stuff to hate.

Even without taking into consideration how old this book is (almost 20 years! ) most of his insights are extemely relevent and useful (and downright powerful) if you are doing software development.  A few concepts might need to be updated for changes in technology, and some of it has been surpased by modern Agile thinkging (in my opinion), but overall it’s valuable reading.

Also, he has a set of clips from the  23 1/2 Rules of Thumb (For Shipping Great Software On Time) presentation at his site:  http://www.mccarthyshow.com/the-23-rules-of-thumb/

There you go.  Free advice you can use today.


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