Some how things do not match up.

I have removed your name from the blog posting, as you requested.

I intervened in the first place because I thought that Ron had attacked the human and not the problem.

I don’t know why it has become such a personal fight for you that I don’t like Vikas’ article.

I realize that stringers for InfoQ are not doing it for the income. Nor do I write this blog for the income. Yet clearly we are both publishing for mass consumption, and are therefore journalists. I don’t label mine as “news,” however.

As for contacting you before writing this blog post, I did that. You refused, at that time, to discuss it any more.

Perhaps you should have asked me to clarify my very short comments on twitter. 140 chars isn’t enough to clearly express ideas. Yet you thought it enough to quote me.

Lets be clear 140 chars on twitter shouldn’t be quoted. There isn’t enough context and information.

All I tried to do was move the focus of Ron’s anger from the human (Vikas) to the problem (the news item). For my pains I’ve been accused of needing use “editorial independance” and more. All I wanted was for you and Ron to remember that Vikas is human.

As for journalists – we’re somewhere in between journalists and bloggers. Again quoting twitter and personal email isn’t fair game. We strive to be neutral, objective and bring to light all of the sides of story but we do mistakes. However we’re not paid as full time journalists, we do this because we love the community and not because it pays well. As a result its not a full time job.

My lessons learned, don’t twitter with George because there is a chance that you will be quoted in a blog. Sad.

And lest anyone think that InfoQ as a whole is represented by that, or the remarks above, I had a private comment from another InfoQ staffer that “of course” they’re journalists.

FWIW, I like the approach the Software Craftsmanship google group seems to promote: regional craftsmanship groups (not unlike regional agile groups).

http://groups.google.com/group/software_craftsmanship?hl=en

No endorsements required. Not “blessed” by the pundits. Just get together and talk about the art with like minded people.

As I’ve said before “Here’s your software craftsmanship certification … show people your code.”

It’s like learning a martial art. The first thing you learn is that there’s always someone bigger and badder than you, so don’t start a fight, even if you have a black belt.

Yes, the certification issue is a different thing. I’ve written about that before.

Just for the record, I’ve not (yet, anyway) received any certificate. I did give out Agile Merit Badges, though. :-)

My issue is with the premise of the whole thing. Why does it have to be a certification? Why can’t it just be a course? Period.

I was talking to a former colleague the other day who recently did the CSM course and he beamed “So, I guess I’m a Certified Scrum Master now!”

God love him, but this guy knows next to nothing about Agile. After some probing, what he got from the course was enough to be dangerous. :s/CSM/CSD/g

Sorry, but it sounds like hipster bs to me.