SA Tenets – Eat Your Own Dog Food
This is a continuation of the “SA Tenets” series of posts in which I discuss my beliefs about System Administration and work in general
Eat Your Own Dog Food
I have a coworker who hates that phrase – he thinks it’s too self-deprecating. He prefers “Eat Your Own Cooking”, but the sentiment is the same.
Take Pride in Your Work
Taking pride in your product extends past the production stage. You need really want to make great things. If you believe in what you are making, you will naturally want to be a consumer.
Be a Super Consumer
I’m not saying you should only use your own product – in fact just the opposite. You should use your competitor’s products too. Then you will know how each stacks up, and your own experience will teach you where your product needs to be improved.
No one trusts a skinny cook, so be sure to be a consumer of your own product!
Reader Comments
Taking pride in your work. Those are words to live by. Also: Nothing temporary is.
There is an overwhelming urge in some people to always ensure they have something to do. So, they do things poorly (intentionally or not) and always get to come back and do them again. Terrible!
If you do good work the first time, and do it consistently, the interesting work will more often than not get tossed your way. The grunt work will go to the grunts. Caveat: once in a while, grunt work comes to you, to automate it and make it go away. This is a good thing, even thought it may not feel like it at the time.
I like the Tenets. Keep ‘em up.