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Small-Scale Question Sunday for March 5, 2023

Do you have a dumb question that you're kind of embarrassed to ask in the main thread? Is there something you're just not sure about?

This is your opportunity to ask questions. No question too simple or too silly.

Culture war topics are accepted, and proposals for a better intro post are appreciated.

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To be honest I think calling it a "grift" means you're probably not prepared to do it.

Yes it can be exactly that. But for your to succeed at it you either have to understand/care enough to do it or be good enough at grifting it to suck the blood out of each org as you move from place to place.

If a Tech Lead can apply their experience and skills to solutions they haven't worked on extensively, and actually do greenfield design, and understand infrastructure, then they can be a good architect. I always call these folks "Keyboard Architects". So many engineers have a tough time looking at the bigger picture of the solution they've worked with for years, much less more than one.

But the title is rife with "Whiteboard Architects" who can only draw rounded squares which I have very little tolerance for. Anyone can imagine a cool solution at a high level or play stump the chump while name-dropping cutting edge tech. My rule of thumb is that if you wear toe shoes you're in the latter camp.