[freemarketteddy]

>Engineers do not gather in a room and summon ideas to their pre-existing code.

Everything we build is on top of pre-existing stuff.If there was no mysql/php,there would be no facebook.If there was no OpenBSD,there would be no iOS.If there was no dns there would be no Google.

The mentality that anything is possible and you just need a nerd to do it is exactly the reason why I have a hard time working with non-technical people!

[AdamFernandez]

I didn't state that engineers don't use pre-existing code. I stated that they don't summon ideas to it. They have to be creative enough to come up with them on their own, or partner up with someone they know well who is just as capable and also has great ideas. That has nothing to do with layers of software abstraction and building upon them. If no new ideas were in play, we would continue using all the technologies you just mentioned, in their current frozen 2011 state, forever.

And let me just emphasize that engineering skill is invaluable and an absolute necessity. I also didn't state that anything is possible. I'm am simply tired of this 'ideas are worthless' sentiment because it is ridiculous. It should be 'an idea without the ability execute on it is just an idea' just as 'execution is impossible without an idea'.

[freemarketteddy]

>I stated that they don't summon ideas to it

Thats exactly what I am trying to argue against.

And in that regard the idea of Google is the direct derivative of the idea of DNS....the idea of Facebook is a direct derivative of the idea of having personal computers that can exchange TCP Packets.

You have used Mark Zuckerberg and Jack Dorsey to make your argument.Please remember that these guys are among the best engineers of our generation.

As a matter of fact the ideas of almost all of our current technologies came from engineers and not MBAs.(If you think Steve Jobs was not an engineer please read his bio!).Forget computers...Even Henry Ford was one of the best engineers of his generation.

Most of my best implemented ideas (the word implemented is very important!) came to me when I asked myself the simple question...what can I do to help people with all the code that I already have (code = My own code and Open sourced stuff) ?..If there is something small that can complete a great idea I go ahead and code it!