While I agree that reading code and learning is essential, I don’t think this line of criticism is fair.
I mean like most programmers I’d imagine their years and years of industry work isn’t public. I mean what have I ever built?
Fowler was CTO of ThoughWorks for years and afaik they do really good and deep work, their content is quality. Bob Martin had a similar track record with 8th light, and as an organization is interesting.
That said, I think lumping them together is misguided. I’ve read a lot of both. To me unky bob is can be a divisive gatekeeper who wants to be right, while mFowler is boon to the industry, literally writing the book on refactoring. He has well reasoned and measured arguments.
I mean I think while formulating your own voice is important and essential, it’s also essential to learn from others and pass down knowledge. For some reason, I think our industry sees it as a threat.
Unky bob is a divisive gatekeeper who I suppose did years of industry work? I guess?
To lump Fowler in with unky bob, I just don’t see it.
Most of my work is not public too, it doesn't have to be.
> I mean Fowler I think t started thoughtworks.
Yeah, I've been too harsh comparing the two, but as someone that have to fight daily with the consequences of the popularization/normalization/blind adoption of the microservices (his contribution was huge in this field) architecture I'm not sure anymore if his contribution is a net positive. The book on refactoring was great though, product of a different era.
I think the difference in the material of both is quite stark too.
Fowler's books are very descriptive, Refactoring is clearly a list of strategies. And there's even conflicting advice, since it's meant to be a catalog rather than a rule book.
Clean Code on the other hand is very prescriptive.
Not that it matters, the people that wrote the GoF Patterns book have been saying for years that their book is descriptive but very few people hear it.
While I agree that reading code and learning is essential, I don’t think this line of criticism is fair.
I mean like most programmers I’d imagine their years and years of industry work isn’t public. I mean what have I ever built?
Fowler was CTO of ThoughWorks for years and afaik they do really good and deep work, their content is quality. Bob Martin had a similar track record with 8th light, and as an organization is interesting.
That said, I think lumping them together is misguided. I’ve read a lot of both. To me unky bob is can be a divisive gatekeeper who wants to be right, while mFowler is boon to the industry, literally writing the book on refactoring. He has well reasoned and measured arguments.
I mean I think while formulating your own voice is important and essential, it’s also essential to learn from others and pass down knowledge. For some reason, I think our industry sees it as a threat.
Unky bob is a divisive gatekeeper who I suppose did years of industry work? I guess?
To lump Fowler in with unky bob, I just don’t see it.
I mean Fowler I think t started thoughtworks.