Indeed; the comparison of software engineering with architecture (or other classes of engineering), notably when taking into account history, are always misled.

Indeed; the comparison of software engineering with architecture (or other classes of engineering), notably when taking into account history, are always misled. For example, the assumption that old bridges still solve modern problems. Compare: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4eM0qoUhaE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4eM0qoUhaE https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puente_Romano_%28M%C3%A9rida%29 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puente_Romano_%28M%C3%A9rida%2... On the close to 2000 years old Merida's bridge, only peatons are allowed nowadays. If you tried to run a traffic of hundreds of 30tn trucks per hour on it, it would soon fall into pieces. Also, you have to take into account the maintainance that has been added to it during the ages (for example, the banks have grown closer and the extremum piles are now under ground).