Joel Not on Software | Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen

As he announced earlier this week, Joel Spolsky is retiring from blogging today – on the 10^th anniversary of his blog, Joel On Software. Joel was one of the pioneers of blogging (especially on the geek side of the world) and his content has been a welcome sight in my Google Reader over the years.

I’ve talked  about Joel often in the past decade (on this blog, other blogs and in countless emails and presentations). I share his views on the simple approach to the art of creating software, how to make the interface user-centric and how to create a start-up company the right way (hire Über-talented people and you’ll find a way to make a product people will buy).

Additionally, Joel gave the simplest advice to any hiring manager on what you look for in a candidate you are interviewing (which I nicked last year for my own post):  

1. Smart
2. Get Stuff Done

He later turned The Guerrilla Guide to Interviewing into a book (a must for all IT hiring managers – but useful to anyone in the talent acquisition realm).

I love Vegas every moment (how long ‘ave I been on?)

My friend Angie loves to clown me to this day about the time she and I went to the Better Software Conference in 2006 (primarily to see Joel as the keynote speaker). Not only did we eschew the pool and slushy drinks to attend that session, but I was a like tweener at a Hannah Montana concert (or so so she tells me). Of course, we also joke about the $22 drinks at Mandalay Bay (but that’s a story for another day).

Jumping the Virtual Shark

It seems to be growing sentiment that blogging has jumped the shark.

Although it has served him well (he’s not cutting coupons), Joel talks about the failure and unfilled promise (and linkage back to the business success) of blogging in a piece this month in Inc Magazine (Let's Take This Offline):

The big-hit technology companies from the past 10 years tend to have pathetic blogs. Twitter’s blog, like Facebook’s and Google’s, is full of utterly boring press releases rewritten to sound a little bit less stuffy. Apple’s employees produce virtually no blogs, even though the company has introduced several game-changing new products in the past decade. Meanwhile, hundreds of Microsoft’s employees have amazing blogs, but these have done nothing to stave off that company’s slide into stodginess.

Don’t give up on it just yet.  Blogging has a relevant place in the mix. But like any content and brand-building channel, it is not the only content delivery system to use and you need to be speaking to your customer in the right places with the right messages (and where they are!).

So long and thanks for all the fish

Finally - good luck Joel on your new endeavors.  I look forward to following you in other mediums and make sure to line up more keynotes in Vegas (I’ll come – probably Angie will, too)

Read to Write

For years, my pat answer to folks who ask me, “How can I write better?” has been: by writing. If you want to blog, start blogging (the practice makes perfect axiom – unless you’re talking about Kenny G or something).

That is true for other forms of writing (a slide deck for the boss, a business case for your latest project or a whitepaper on your idea that will save the company millions and get your picture on the cover of Newsweek). The repetition improves the voice of your writing as well the quality (assuming you are getting feedback and striving to improve).

Wendii at Manager Tools (in her post this week) reminds me of the other half of the pie - which is 90% of the effort (as Yogi Berra or Norm Crosby might say): inspiration. Where do you get your ideas from (again whether that’s for your blog or the next product for you company)?

The answer is simple: read (and read a lot). Wendii explains:

Lots of input seems to help with output. Talk (or write) a LOT. Explaining things to others helps you consolidate them in your own mind and find new ways of putting things together.

My co-workers and wife will attest that I have that talking a lot part down.

I will add to her note to also read a lot of different things (inside and outside your industry or knowledge – and comfort zone). Reading someone like Scott Berkun or Joel Spolsky will expose you to a lot more than  software development (for example Innovation myths in Schoolhouse rock). 

And look, she was right. By reading Wendii’s post, it gave me an idea for this piece.