Engineer’s Insight

Introduction

Code is run more than read

https://olano.dev/2023-11-30-code-is-run-more-than-read/https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38483181

Typical pitfalls:

author > maintainer

Unmaintainable code

dev > user

Unusable software

dev > ops

“Works on my machine”

dev > biz

The right thing: code considered as an end in itself

dev > *

Resume‑driven development

biz > user > ops > dev
biz > user > ops > dev

Imaginary software

biz > user > ops > dev

Late capitalism: venture‑backed software

Acknowledging that the user may not always come before the business, but the business shouldn’t unconditionally come first.
user > ops > devbiz > ops > devbiz ≹ user
❇️ Coding is only the beginning; software must be considered from many angles: development team, users, business model, etc.

AI + Vision leading the human‑machine interaction revolution

NNgroup: First New UI Paradigm in 60 Years – From “people adapt to machines” to “machines adapt to people.”

Apple Vision Pro

Cloud: AI enables computers to hear, see, speak, and possess comprehension and generative abilities, making natural interaction feasible.
Device: Vision moves from 2D to 3D, from touch to hand‑eye integration, spawning new interaction methods. 🌲 The new era calls for new software.

A Fresh Look at Front‑End Engineers

Chatting with a friend who studied “Holy Spine Holographic Technique” under Professor Gao Shengjie (https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/xuGfJPBYAujaCLqcmlUPpg) sparked some insights 😄

Apprentice practitioner → Junior practitioner → Mid‑level practitioner → Senior practitioner → ?
What’s the answer? Practitioner 😄

Returning to basics 🈳

Wang Guowei’s “Three Stages of Scholarship” epitomizes the process of “clarity of principle and utility, integration of form and function”: great achievements, past and present, pass through three realms—“last night the western wind withered the green trees; alone I ascend the high tower, gazing to the horizon” (first realm); “my belt widens but I do not regret, for love I grow gaunt” (second realm); “searching among the crowd a thousand times, then turning back, the person is there, at the dim lanterns” (third realm).

When we were students we learned computer technology, hoping one day to become excellent engineers and create software people love. Over time, labels like dev, ops, biz appeared, creating hierarchies and causing us to forget the true value of engineers—mistaking coding + technology for value itself. Stripping away the tags and asking “what is a software engineer?” reveals our unique contribution: designing and implementing software products that let people joyfully solve problems with computers. From this viewpoint we are all “product engineers.” Front‑end folks specialize in UI technology, building the bridge of human‑computer interaction and taking the lead. ❇️🔥💥 Moving from “tech‑first” to “product‑first” is a mindset shift. 💥🔥❇️😄 Every person and team has users to serve 😄🌲 Everyone can create good products, big or small 🌲

Human‑computer interaction is interdisciplinary. A passage from the Analects captures its value perfectly: “When substance outweighs style, it is rustic; when style outweighs substance, it is pretentious; when both are balanced, the gentleman emerges.” The same principle explains why Apple’s devices feel so good—their excellence in HCI.

Striving to Craft Masterpieces

Becoming a Reliable Engineer

In an age of information overload, reliability is the greatest intelligence.
Whenever I discuss this topic, I always quote my mentor Wu Duoyi (https://www.zhihu.com/people/wuduoyi); everything I want to say is in his talks 😄

“Life‑long ideals” may not crystallize instantly; start with the “present goal.” In this time, place, and business, turn heartfelt aspirations—what you want to build, what problems to solve, what state to achieve—into concrete objectives, plan them, and meet them through daily practice. — See: Teacher Ma on thoughts, goals, and actions.

I used to tell every engineer: if you don’t understand the product, you can’t be the best engineer. To become world‑class you must understand the product, the whole business, and the ecosystem. Your responsibility is to anticipate future needs, align technology with those needs, and prepare the platform, development process, and your team for what’s ahead.

What qualities define a reliable engineer?

Walking the Path That Fits You

Remove limits, experiment with the many possibilities of engineering, gradually discard routes that don’t fit, and the remaining ones will align with what you truly want. When the time is right, choose a direction you’re willing to pursue long‑term, act within your capacity, put others first, and consider how your work can solve others’ problems before thinking about personal gain. Follow your heart to places that resonate with you.

A Decade‑Long Sword‑Forging

A product is the engineer’s greatest gift to the world: a crystallization of effort, like an artist’s masterpiece, crafted with dedication, an extension of life, like one’s own child, requiring patience to grow together.

Huawei has spent nearly 20 years training employees in the “craftsman spirit.”

Sustainable Development

Reading Classics to Cultivate the Mind

In an era marked by “unprecedented global change” and the call to “promote outstanding Chinese traditional culture,” reading the Analects and Mao’s selected works is especially important.

Self‑Care

“Civilize the mind, strengthen the body; unite mental and physical power; nothing in the world cannot be achieved—that is the new Chinese youth.” — Mao Zedong, Study of Physical Education (classic Chinese essay)

Who should we entrust with our health? Who is responsible for it—hospitals, doctors, insurance, medical devices?

☆☆☆ Key points ☆☆☆㊙️

Huangdi Neijing – Ancient health doctrine: eat and drink in moderation, keep regular routines, avoid unnecessary toil, desire little, keep the mind at ease, and the body will not tire. 🈴

Reconnect with nature, restore vitality. 🉐

Learn the “Diamond Longevity Exercise.”

Conclusion

Clarity of principle and utility, integration of form and function.

Appendix: Books on Product Thinking

Text version of Zhang Xiaolong’s talk “The Product View Behind WeChat” (https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/355295002)

2024.07

Originally written by Ping Xia (平侠) and published in Chinese on 研习录 (Study Notes). Translated and adapted for DriftSeas with permission.

Engineer’s Insight