Comments on: When’s The Right Time For Production Policies for Startups? http://www.centernetworks.com/startup-code-documentation Web 2 and Social Media News and Reviews Sat, 21 Nov 2009 01:50:56 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Anonymous http://www.centernetworks.com/startup-code-documentation/comment-page-#comment-18123 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-18123 I am posting under anonymous because my startup isn't live yet. I have always put comments on my code because I hope to hire more people in the future and they need to be able to read what I've coded easily and make sure they don't break what I have already written. I am posting under anonymous because my startup isn’t live yet. I have always put comments on my code because I hope to hire more people in the future and they need to be able to read what I’ve coded easily and make sure they don’t break what I have already written.

]]> By: epc http://www.centernetworks.com/startup-code-documentation/comment-page-#comment-18125 epc Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-18125 I know I'll be in the minority, but my belief is that it's good practice, policy, business, and just common sense to put together an operations framework even if you're in alpha. It doesn't all have to be there, but you can sketch out a framework that says "when we're at this level of traffic/users/attention we need to implement these policies". You don't even need a separate operations team, just some discipline to shift mindsets every now and then and approach the site from an operations perspective instead of "I must have the flexibility to deploy any code any damn time I want to". I've talked to many startups over the years and tried to convince (with minimal success) the developers and managers to sketch out some sort of operations framework, so that they're not scrambling to do so when the secret beta hits CenterNetworks or AlleyInsider. It seems anal, but having some routine stuff written down somewhere can help keep things calm when the site is on fire, as well as when someone shows up at your door with a subpoena for user1234's records. It is not exciting to have to come up with processes and procedures by the seat of your pants, it's not glamorous, it's not what successful businesses do. I know I’ll be in the minority, but my belief is that it’s good practice, policy, business, and just common sense to put together an operations framework even if you’re in alpha. It doesn’t all have to be there, but you can sketch out a framework that says “when we’re at this level of traffic/users/attention we need to implement these policies”.

You don’t even need a separate operations team, just some discipline to shift mindsets every now and then and approach the site from an operations perspective instead of “I must have the flexibility to deploy any code any damn time I want to”.

I’ve talked to many startups over the years and tried to convince (with minimal success) the developers and managers to sketch out some sort of operations framework, so that they’re not scrambling to do so when the secret beta hits CenterNetworks or AlleyInsider.

It seems anal, but having some routine stuff written down somewhere can help keep things calm when the site is on fire, as well as when someone shows up at your door with a subpoena for user1234’s records.

It is not exciting to have to come up with processes and procedures by the seat of your pants, it’s not glamorous, it’s not what successful businesses do.

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