What's up with P&P?
What's up with the interface between Microsoft's Patterns and Practices group (P&P) and the wider community?
P&P are writing a new version of their guidance for architecture on the Microsoft platform, and they're asking for community feedback. But by and large the community isn't giving any! And, when feedback is offered, P&P aren't necessarily replying.
For instance:
After the P&P Knowledge base project had been up for about 2 months, I counted exactly three meaningul comments on the substance of what MS had written. Of those three comments, two were from me(!), and to this day those two remain unanswered!
Confusingly, there are now three different CodePlex projects in which P&P are seeking community input. There's the App Arch Guide knowledge base, the App Arch Guide Book, and the App Arch Community Contribution project (which, as if to prove my point, is completely empty)!
So, community, what's up! Has no-one got anything to say about architecture!!!!
And Microsoft, what's up with you? What are you doing to make this work?
Update 1 Feb 08: Microsoft recently contacted me to follow up on my questions. Thanks :-) As much as I appreciate that contact (and I do) the overall lack of engagement seems to remain. I still don't see much meaningful involvement from/with the community. The Community Contribution project is still empty, except for a brief statement of it's purpose, which has only been read 38 times.
P&P are writing a new version of their guidance for architecture on the Microsoft platform, and they're asking for community feedback. But by and large the community isn't giving any! And, when feedback is offered, P&P aren't necessarily replying.
For instance:
After the P&P Knowledge base project had been up for about 2 months, I counted exactly three meaningul comments on the substance of what MS had written. Of those three comments, two were from me(!), and to this day those two remain unanswered!
Confusingly, there are now three different CodePlex projects in which P&P are seeking community input. There's the App Arch Guide knowledge base, the App Arch Guide Book, and the App Arch Community Contribution project (which, as if to prove my point, is completely empty)!
So, community, what's up! Has no-one got anything to say about architecture!!!!
And Microsoft, what's up with you? What are you doing to make this work?
Update 1 Feb 08: Microsoft recently contacted me to follow up on my questions. Thanks :-) As much as I appreciate that contact (and I do) the overall lack of engagement seems to remain. I still don't see much meaningful involvement from/with the community. The Community Contribution project is still empty, except for a brief statement of it's purpose, which has only been read 38 times.
posted by John Rusk at 12:19 AM
4 Comments:
Maybe most of the people that need to be commenting are tired and cynical about the "guidance" P&P have been spouting for years and the people that are actually looking at it are not experienced enough to offer comment?
>Maybe most of the people that need to be commenting are tired and cynical about the "guidance" P&P have been spouting
If that's the case (and I too suspect that it might be) surely it would be better for everyone if we actually could get people talking. There's a bit of a gulf between ALT.NET and P&P, but I'm convinced it would be better for all concerned to promote dialog rather than avoid it. I think effort is required (and currently missing) from both sides: ALT.NET and P&P.
@John,
I've reviewed the P&P stuff in length and commented quite a bit behind the scenes, and a couple other ALT.NET blowhards have as well. It just doesn't show up on Codeplex.
Jeremy,
That's good news.
It seems a shame though, if _all_ the collaboration is behind the scenes, especially on a initiative that's up on Codeplex in the hope of getting public involvement.
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