The article doesn't say that good tools don't help - the article says that you will not become a good "insert anything here" if all you have are great tools and no innate ability or vision. In other words - if I am not a good runner, then having expensive orthopedic sneakers while I am running will not do me much good. If I am a good runner, then having those sneakers will make me better.
you will not become a good "insert anything here" if all you have are great tools and no innate ability or vision.
Yeah.
I know.
But that's pretty well-understood. I don't think anyone ever thought that. No one really thinks, "Good tools==success". And so we are again faced with the typical 37signals blog entry, the shtick of which is to state humdrum truisms to a galley of fawning fanboys, who litter the comment section with love unlimited. But, as usual, they somehow still manage to deviate from more strongly stated opinions,
What do hackers want? Like all craftsmen, hackers like good tools. In fact, that's an understatement. Good hackers find it unbearable to use bad tools. They'll simply refuse to work on projects with the wrong infrastructure.
True, yes? All craftsmen demand the best tools, and there's no harm in having them, or refining them, or arguing over their merits.
They wouldn't let a monkey into a fully stocked OR unless it was the one being operated on. By the time you reach the level of competence to be allowed to operate an OR, the tools probably end up mattering more than individual variance in ability.
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Does not work with surgeons and ice cream scoops. Or several other things.
The article doesn't say that good tools don't help - the article says that you will not become a good "insert anything here" if all you have are great tools and no innate ability or vision. In other words - if I am not a good runner, then having expensive orthopedic sneakers while I am running will not do me much good. If I am a good runner, then having those sneakers will make me better.
you will not become a good "insert anything here" if all you have are great tools and no innate ability or vision.
Yeah.
I know.
But that's pretty well-understood. I don't think anyone ever thought that. No one really thinks, "Good tools==success". And so we are again faced with the typical 37signals blog entry, the shtick of which is to state humdrum truisms to a galley of fawning fanboys, who litter the comment section with love unlimited. But, as usual, they somehow still manage to deviate from more strongly stated opinions,
What do hackers want? Like all craftsmen, hackers like good tools. In fact, that's an understatement. Good hackers find it unbearable to use bad tools. They'll simply refuse to work on projects with the wrong infrastructure.
True, yes? All craftsmen demand the best tools, and there's no harm in having them, or refining them, or arguing over their merits.
Really?
The best scalpel in the world won't make you a good surgeon. Or, at least, it won't make me a good surgeon. I don't about you.
I wouldn't want the best surgeon in the world using a clotheshanger and a steak knife, though.
"I wouldn't want the best surgeon in the world using a clotheshanger and a steak knife, though."
I'd prefer that over being operated on by a monkey in a fully stocked OR.
The surgeon will probably know enough to correctly weigh the risk of doing surgery with poor tools against not doing surgery at all.
They wouldn't let a monkey into a fully stocked OR unless it was the one being operated on. By the time you reach the level of competence to be allowed to operate an OR, the tools probably end up mattering more than individual variance in ability.
True, but that might still be better than the worst surgeon in the world with the best equipment.
The worst surgeon in the world would probably be a very skilled surgeon that is actively trying to hurt you.
Would you prefer me with an scalpel?
I'd prefer a med student with a scalpel.
I suppose there is an equilibrium point in every scenario.
A surgeon with a steak knife is preferable to me with a scalpel but not a medical student with a scalpel.
But I guess the point is scalpels are usually easier to get then surgeons (or med students). And their quality scale is more finite.