> You should consider the first version a throwaway.
If you start out knowing that you are writing something that will be trashed, why would you invest yourself in it? It's hard to tell someone to build something that will be thrown away; to trade the time they can never get back for something that will most likely fail. That will almost certainly _not_ get their best work - which means your odds of success go down; perhaps drastically. And if the first version DOES happen to work, you still have to throw it away at some point and start over (or else live in pain for the life of the product). Either way; you loose.
Now think about the approach where you take the time to think through your ideas. Where you expect the best from your people right from the start because you're all building to last. When you earnestly expect the best of people, they generally give you that (or close to it, at least). You get a better result. So then the first version doesn't work. But you've learned a lot, because the thought process you went through taught you things; things you took the time to learn. Things you can leverage in your next venture; things that will speed it up, make it stronger, get it quicker. But what if it worked? Now you're not fettered with the task of rebuilding what you've just built because what you have is solid. It can be built on. So that momentum you have as the first version works can be leveraged into the second, third and fourth versions. And momentum means something; it means happier employees and - ultimately - better returns.
The former (get it quick) is (for the most part) the world of today. The latter (get it right) was the world the author remembers - and pines for.
> This guy isn't in charge, so he blames young people and assumes they are in charge.
What makes you think he's not "in charge"?
> Young people are just followers. They follow the money, they do what they're told, they adopt fashions in order to SURVIVE, not out of some kind of "strange entitlement."
If you are young and believe this, I am sad for you.
"Youth" (those in their 20's, for example) have some of the best kind of power - the unfettered kind. As a generalization/simplification, those in their 20's have fewer dedicated costs in their lives (rent and food at the least; car payment perhaps). That gives them the freedom to CHOOSE. That's the power of youth - choice. In youth, a person can choose to lift up and move. Can choose to quit - or stay at - a job because of principals. Can choose to change careers, become an expert in one field or a generalist in many. I won't go so far as to say all things are possible, but there are certainly many paths that could be traveled with relative (key part there - relative) ease.
As we get older, the dedicated costs (generally - there are certainly exceptions) go up. House payments. Kids. Medical expenses (personal and family). Income may (or may not) go up, but it's almost certain that key life options will decline. There are still choices to make and control of life to be had for sure, but they are not so numerous; the road does not web outward as it did in youth so much as it forks in minor directional changes.
So - if anyone out there is still in their youth (which is more a state of mind than physical being, mind), I suggest you try different things. Experiment with life. Follow your true passions and see where they lead. The author of this blog (and myself; and others) did that and it turned out that our passions would become an industry that would change the world. I only hope your passions (if you have the heart to chase them) will yield the same so that we can share in that. We can use this thing that we were around to see birthed to do so. Or something better if you prefer; but you'll need to make that happen because we're tired and just want to enjoy our time with our communal child as long as we can, please.
Better summary: A man (who has enjoyed his career for the challenges it brings regardless of the pay level) is frustrated that the majority of his current peers don't seem to share the same passion for the work that he has.
If you start out knowing that you are writing something that will be trashed, why would you invest yourself in it? It's hard to tell someone to build something that will be thrown away; to trade the time they can never get back for something that will most likely fail. That will almost certainly _not_ get their best work - which means your odds of success go down; perhaps drastically. And if the first version DOES happen to work, you still have to throw it away at some point and start over (or else live in pain for the life of the product). Either way; you loose.
Now think about the approach where you take the time to think through your ideas. Where you expect the best from your people right from the start because you're all building to last. When you earnestly expect the best of people, they generally give you that (or close to it, at least). You get a better result. So then the first version doesn't work. But you've learned a lot, because the thought process you went through taught you things; things you took the time to learn. Things you can leverage in your next venture; things that will speed it up, make it stronger, get it quicker. But what if it worked? Now you're not fettered with the task of rebuilding what you've just built because what you have is solid. It can be built on. So that momentum you have as the first version works can be leveraged into the second, third and fourth versions. And momentum means something; it means happier employees and - ultimately - better returns.
The former (get it quick) is (for the most part) the world of today. The latter (get it right) was the world the author remembers - and pines for.