Credits

As a user I prefer it when a software package reveals the identities of the people who made it. It demonstrates, to some degree, pride of workmanship. When I launch an application and check the About box, I am always leery when I can't find the dev team who created the thing. I can't help but think that the programmers and testers are too ashamed to put their names on it, and would rather remain anonymous.

But I happen to know better. Some companies have an iron-clad policy not to divulge employee names in the About box or anywhere else. The rationale I have heard is that management is trying to prevent headhunters from hiring away the company's talent. I happen to find this explanation unpersuasive. I bet no one can even remember the original intent behind the policy. The real purpose was lost to time and bureaucracy, and nobody can be bothered to check with upper management over such a trifling matter.

I think that's too bad. Getting to see your name in the About box offers a small point of pride in a software company, and it costs practically nothing. Once I got the task of putting together the About box for our product. It was tradition at that place to include everybody's name who was materially involved in the project, from executive staff down to technical support personnel. Aside from the minor hassle of having to gather up the precise names and titles of some 50-odd people as they wanted them to appear, it was a pretty fun mini project. I even got to add some easter eggs (with my manager's prior approval). And I don't think I ever got a headhunter call because of it.