This is coming out the same day two DOJ cases led by a US attorney with no previous prosecutorial experience were unceremoniously tossed out. DOGE sent in a bunch of 20 somethings to "fix" the technology while cutting entire groups of experienced technologists like 18F. To say nothing of the CDC, whose communications are starting to look like a bad, late-night infomercials.
I understand having a problem with a authority that manifests as a distrust of experts, but the combination of ignorance and arrogance is breathtaking.
Hopefully 2026 can be a year of restoring some adults to positions of responsibility.
This is one of many frequent reminders: In some environments, how you brand and market your work (Mush with a chainsaw cutting spending comes to mind) is often more important than the work you do. Most wont bother to look at the actual results of your work.
Its one of those things that's a hard lesson to learn; ideology isn't greater than experience.
One of the biggest lessons I learnt when I was a younger dev is a living allegory that my manager told me:
"one day the new boss came in to a budget meeting. The boss was out to make a good impression, and come out winning. The boss looked for any 'useless spend'.
Looking at the budget, the Boss saw how much was being spent on cleaner.
Looking around, the Boss boomed 'The place is spotless, why the fuck am I paying for cleaners. There's nothing to clean'
The underlings laughed and clapped. Oh how clever the Boss was, saving such a big amount at the first budget.
Needless to say the Boss was most put out when the invoice for pest removal, food standard violation and toilet cleaning landed in the next budget.
"
There's a reason why things are done that way. It might not be a good reason, but its still a reason. You need to find and evaluate the reason for something existing, before you fuck it up. Yes, before you ask, I did fuck up, more than once.
That's what the supporters said. The problem was, and is, a complete lack of deliberation, which his process doesn't provide room for.
As mentioned in one of the linked discussions by ChrisArchitect, they didn't go out and actually talk to the groups they were cutting (or not cutting). The people in the field know where a lot of waste is, and having an organization, theoretically, at the level of DOGE take interest in it would have gotten things moving that just don't happen when you're 10-20 levels from those with actual authority to change policy.
doge in the end was not allowed to do their work, they tried to fight the swamp but the swamp won. In my sector management fought tooth and nail after doge pinpointed major waste..and we made sure they could not go any further. meanwhile the wheels of waste kept rollin'
This is coming out the same day two DOJ cases led by a US attorney with no previous prosecutorial experience were unceremoniously tossed out. DOGE sent in a bunch of 20 somethings to "fix" the technology while cutting entire groups of experienced technologists like 18F. To say nothing of the CDC, whose communications are starting to look like a bad, late-night infomercials.
I understand having a problem with a authority that manifests as a distrust of experts, but the combination of ignorance and arrogance is breathtaking.
Hopefully 2026 can be a year of restoring some adults to positions of responsibility.
This is one of many frequent reminders: In some environments, how you brand and market your work (Mush with a chainsaw cutting spending comes to mind) is often more important than the work you do. Most wont bother to look at the actual results of your work.
Its one of those things that's a hard lesson to learn; ideology isn't greater than experience.
One of the biggest lessons I learnt when I was a younger dev is a living allegory that my manager told me:
"one day the new boss came in to a budget meeting. The boss was out to make a good impression, and come out winning. The boss looked for any 'useless spend'.
Looking at the budget, the Boss saw how much was being spent on cleaner.
Looking around, the Boss boomed 'The place is spotless, why the fuck am I paying for cleaners. There's nothing to clean'
The underlings laughed and clapped. Oh how clever the Boss was, saving such a big amount at the first budget.
Needless to say the Boss was most put out when the invoice for pest removal, food standard violation and toilet cleaning landed in the next budget. "
There's a reason why things are done that way. It might not be a good reason, but its still a reason. You need to find and evaluate the reason for something existing, before you fuck it up. Yes, before you ask, I did fuck up, more than once.
I have a big legacy code base as part of my responsibility and Chesterton's Fence comes up at least once a month.
[delayed]
Isn’t this part of Elons „process“: Delete until you deleted too much, then restore enough to make it work again, hopefully in a leaner state
That's what the supporters said. The problem was, and is, a complete lack of deliberation, which his process doesn't provide room for.
As mentioned in one of the linked discussions by ChrisArchitect, they didn't go out and actually talk to the groups they were cutting (or not cutting). The people in the field know where a lot of waste is, and having an organization, theoretically, at the level of DOGE take interest in it would have gotten things moving that just don't happen when you're 10-20 levels from those with actual authority to change policy.
[dead]
Who’s going to prosecute them? It won’t be the Trump DOJ. They’re safe, sadly.
[dupe]
'Suddenly exposed' DOGE employees fear prosecution after Musk abandoned them
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46024983
Doge 'doesn't exist' with eight months left on its charter
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46028721
doge in the end was not allowed to do their work, they tried to fight the swamp but the swamp won. In my sector management fought tooth and nail after doge pinpointed major waste..and we made sure they could not go any further. meanwhile the wheels of waste kept rollin'