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thomcat's review against another edition
2.0
Written before 1997, this is part musings on contract work and ad-hoc teams, part breakdown of the phases of a project, and mostly memoir. That last bit is the least readable, with little direction or focus. I think she tries to connect her relationship arc with Brian to a project phase arc - but it isn't convincing.
There are interesting nuggets here, and she does capture the frenzy of contract work and venture capital and startups from twenty years ago.
Like a few other reviewers, I'm not sure how this ended up on my to-be-read list. Many reviewers, along with forward author Jaron Lanier, list it as indispensable, insightful, or a cult classic. While more rare because it was penned by a woman, and perhaps unusual for the perspective at the time, neither of these facets make it inherently "good".
There are interesting nuggets here, and she does capture the frenzy of contract work and venture capital and startups from twenty years ago.
Like a few other reviewers, I'm not sure how this ended up on my to-be-read list. Many reviewers, along with forward author Jaron Lanier, list it as indispensable, insightful, or a cult classic. While more rare because it was penned by a woman, and perhaps unusual for the perspective at the time, neither of these facets make it inherently "good".
heyfernance's review against another edition
funny
informative
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Loved this, a snippet of the life of a female programmer in the 80s on the cusp of the Internet engulfing our lives. So many of her observations have really interesting relevance to our relationships with technology today. Other reviews take issue with the inclusions of her personal life but for me it added to the richness of the stories she told, weaving the thrill of programming with the thrill of sex is an interesting parallel.
aarongustafson's review against another edition
A fantastic memoir on the programmer���s culture. This one���s a must read for anyone in tech.
kamee's review against another edition
2.0
ինչքան հասկացայ, հիմնական նպատակը ծրագրաւորողների, տեքնոլոգիաների հետ աշխատողների կեանքը/առօրեան ցոյց տալն էր, բայց էս առումով ինձ համար անգերազանցելի ա «Coders at work»֊ն ա
porges's review against another edition
4.0
It's incredibly depressing reading this 20+ years later, when all her criticisms of the interactions between computers and people's lives are still valid (if not even more applicable!).
sett's review against another edition
5.0
If ever there was a piece of literature that could make any programmer feel seen, this would be it.
Ellen Ullman is a writer and she's damn good at her craft. If you're unsure, consider this quote that's attached to her name:
> “We build our computers the way we build our cities—over time, without a plan, on top of ruins.”
This line hooked me when I encountered it by chance online. It compelled me to seek out her books.
Ullman is also a veteran programmer, who worked as a consultant in San Francisco during an era that exemplifies our modern software industry: databases, networked computers, services were the new standard and thousands of new systems, millions of lines of code was being birthed into the world.
It's in this context that she sets her memoir that is extraordinarily honest (she doesn't hold back on being vulnerable and candid). Her musings about the work, situations and people she interacts with are familiar and offer a kind of comfort.
In a way, just by sharing so authentically, she's managed to say: "it's okay to be human (and also a programmer or whatever else you are)".
Ellen Ullman is a writer and she's damn good at her craft. If you're unsure, consider this quote that's attached to her name:
> “We build our computers the way we build our cities—over time, without a plan, on top of ruins.”
This line hooked me when I encountered it by chance online. It compelled me to seek out her books.
Ullman is also a veteran programmer, who worked as a consultant in San Francisco during an era that exemplifies our modern software industry: databases, networked computers, services were the new standard and thousands of new systems, millions of lines of code was being birthed into the world.
It's in this context that she sets her memoir that is extraordinarily honest (she doesn't hold back on being vulnerable and candid). Her musings about the work, situations and people she interacts with are familiar and offer a kind of comfort.
In a way, just by sharing so authentically, she's managed to say: "it's okay to be human (and also a programmer or whatever else you are)".
reveal's review against another edition
4.0
this is the novel that uncanny valley thought it was - an excellent time capsule into the San Francisco of the 90s, a mindset that we now see manifested in the likes of musty musk, narrated by a very interesting (albeit frustrating) person. the insights on programming were excellent. as much as I didnt agree with the authors ex-commie present-lib mess, I was also compelled by it. the voice and the world matched perfectly. overall I recommend it if you're looking for something left-field.
taykah's review against another edition
4.0
Quick read, her story living and working in the tech world towards the mid/end of her career and her thoughts surrounding this experience and other aspects of life coalesced beautifully over time. Brilliant with metaphors, good mix of dialogue to emphasize her telling.
In particular:
- The imposter syndrome and need to prove one's tech knowledge/credibility is FOREVER.
- How we build systems then by adhering to them they create us right back as we perpetuate each other in increasingly narrowed cycles of momentum. That systems are a projection of only a slim part of ourselves, logic/order/rule/clarity.
- Computing and it's effects on business and physical spaces in our world, 'making all the people disappear', into virtual spaces (a new architecture to be impressed by). That moving everything online is not dissimilar to suburban development: "Both take real, particular places and turn them into anyplace'.
- Fascinating and seemingly contradictory comparison of spreadsheets w/ the browser - the browser is so much busier, more colorful, full of content, meant to be user-friendly, overwhelming, 'click-by-click baby tool', searchable only, makes users feel inundated; whereas the spreadsheet is simple looking, white, blank, full of complex functionality and giving the user complete power to design their own content and uses and manipulations of that content, makes users feel bold.
- interesting ruminations on how words like 'virtual' and 'legacy' have been transformed or mean something completely differently in a tech context.
Quote:
"I realized how fortunate we were to be engineers. How lucky for us to be people who built things... We certainly wouldn't mid if the company went public and we all got fabulously rich. But the important thing was right in front of us. We had started wit some scratching on a whiteboard and built this: this operation program, this functional thing."
In particular:
- The imposter syndrome and need to prove one's tech knowledge/credibility is FOREVER.
- How we build systems then by adhering to them they create us right back as we perpetuate each other in increasingly narrowed cycles of momentum. That systems are a projection of only a slim part of ourselves, logic/order/rule/clarity.
- Computing and it's effects on business and physical spaces in our world, 'making all the people disappear', into virtual spaces (a new architecture to be impressed by). That moving everything online is not dissimilar to suburban development: "Both take real, particular places and turn them into anyplace'.
- Fascinating and seemingly contradictory comparison of spreadsheets w/ the browser - the browser is so much busier, more colorful, full of content, meant to be user-friendly, overwhelming, 'click-by-click baby tool', searchable only, makes users feel inundated; whereas the spreadsheet is simple looking, white, blank, full of complex functionality and giving the user complete power to design their own content and uses and manipulations of that content, makes users feel bold.
- interesting ruminations on how words like 'virtual' and 'legacy' have been transformed or mean something completely differently in a tech context.
Quote:
"I realized how fortunate we were to be engineers. How lucky for us to be people who built things... We certainly wouldn't mid if the company went public and we all got fabulously rich. But the important thing was right in front of us. We had started wit some scratching on a whiteboard and built this: this operation program, this functional thing."
beardybot's review against another edition
5.0
This memoir is 24 years old. Ullman details a time before even then, between Wall Street's peak and Silicon Valley's. And yet, she has captured technology, and humanity, and that weird space occupied by both, in a way that feels as relevant and poignant now.
The languages have changed and the hardware is more powerful by degrees, but it seems the human experience isn't much different. I really enjoyed reading this. I just wish it was longer!
The languages have changed and the hardware is more powerful by degrees, but it seems the human experience isn't much different. I really enjoyed reading this. I just wish it was longer!