When it comes to software architecture, stuff gets funny. First we learn everything about it at university. We learn to use it as a part of our main project plan. We learn how to do risk evaluation. [...] Since we didn't have a lot of experience with software back then, the resulting architecture is a badly done, but well documented. This style of software architecture is called "Enterprise Architecture" and usually done by consultants.

They talk about delivering software versus delivering documentation and list some of the actual common reasons software architecture turns out how it does including: "I read about it in a blog", "It worked for me once" and the idea of the "Golden Hammer" of standardized structures.

Look, it's easy. As developers, we see people we don't respect making decisions we don't agree with. I know how difficult this position is because like every other developer in the world, I've been in this position. However, unlike a lot of developers I've talked to in recent years, I don't see "digging my heals in" or whining as alternatives.

He suggests one of two alternatives to the situation - either deal with things head-on and get onboard with the decision or jump ship and find something else that suits you better. Sometimes this is a bit easier than others (terminating contracts versus leaving a full-time job), but if you're really that upset with it, it's probably not going to get any better.

talk to a lot of people about how to build teams and the cornerstone of any good team is respect. Management has to respect developers and I firmly believe that. However, you as a developers, have to respect management as well. It is a two way street.

Last week, I began working on something that didn't pan out. For whatever reason, I went down the wrong path, and ultimately abandoned the task I was working on. In discussing it with my boss, he mentioned to me that it was better to realize early on that something wouldn't work than to trudge onward, insisting that it be finished due to the "sunk cost" of the time already spent.

There's two sides to this story - one in which the application continues to be developed and takes up more time (but still ends up as a product) and the other where the time already spent is lost as a completely new approach is taken.

n any given computer language (PHP is no exception) there has to be a way to allow the running code to decide between doing 2 different things. If there wasn't then software would not be able to adapt based on operating conditions, or it wouldn't be able to decide between two different users.

They look at using: if statements and operators, for loops and while loops. When they look at the operators, they talk about the differences between equals/not equals, grater than/less than and two of the boolean operators - AND and OR.

Well unfortunately due to timing issues the emPHPower BoF at OSCON fell through. So it goes. In preparation for the BoF I have however taken the time to write down an FAQ. So the submission of the OSCON BoF was at least a kick in the butt for me to get this done. Please have a look and let me know if anything is unclear or unanswered.

The FAQ includes answers to lots of questions including:

• How to I get involved?
• What is the target audience?
• Will emPHPower compete with existing community efforts?
• What is the purpose of the membership fees?
• Why should companies not be allowed to sponsor emPHPower directly?
• Who decides on what emPHPower does?

At ZendCon I talked about "Planning a PHP 4 to PHP 5 codebase rewrite, a practical approach". The talk was based on my own experience, as well as famous discussion of the topic such as Joel Spolsky's "Things you should never do" and the examination of "famous" platform rewrites.

Aaron gives an example of a large company making a move from a COBOL system out to C for a mission critical system. Based on his tale, they didn't put the thought needed into making this move - new development time, keeping old developers on staff, etc - besides the fact that customers don't like change and making a move to another platform is almost definitely going to be noticed by them.