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The problem with "the same thing that's made bullet proof": What defines bullet proof and how is that "perfect" solution going to work for all different busines

The problem with "the same thing that's made bullet proof": What defines bullet proof and how is that "perfect" solution going to work for all different business types? Obligatory XKCD: https://xkcd.com/927/ https://xkcd.com/927/

jacquesm 11y ago
Bullet proof would at least mean that we no longer have these infinite series of regressions, that what is fixed stays fixed. And 'obligatory xkcd's rarely are and I wished people would stop posting them as a way to settle an argument without being receptive to the core idea of that argument. The word 'standard' never was on my mind, merely a way to get things implemented properly once rather than re-implemented over and over again. How many HTML server components are there, in C alone? Then all the java ones, the ruby ones, the Go ones and all the other languages. Then all the crypto libraries and all their re-implementations and so on. There has to be a better way to do code re-use and to avoid the NIH syndrome that seems to be one of the major generators behind all these re-implementations of roughly the same thing. But it's so much easier to start again, rather than to delve into an existing code base, extend it properly and document it. There is little glory in a minor contribution to a much larger project. Starting over means it's your project, you get to be the big wheel and when you lose interest we have one more Swiss cheese to contend with.
- wernercd 11y ago
  Of course there is a better way... but the issue is: How are you going to make others use your way? How are you going to fund replacing the DECADES of existing tech? The XKCD puts it perfectly... you create a better way - and God knows, there has to be many better ways than say JavaScript or PHP - how are you going to MAKE people switch? Your better way - assuming it is perfect - is still crowded out and unable to gain any traction. I mean... ANYTHING that gets made gets a "format war". What makes you think Google, IBM, Microsoft, Apple, etc would all agree on something long enough to make that happen? We can't even get a new DVD format without years of fighting... What's perfect for Google (which revolves around Search) won't necessarily work for Microsoft (Which revolves around Server and Office)... Or Apple (Which revolves around... Magic?)... Or... What language should they all agree on? What "bullet proof" product will meet all their needs? What style of programming does everything everyone needs? You can't create that "perfect" solution, because people and companies that have such a massively different wants, needs and goals... That's why things such as TDD, Modular code, Code reviews, etc all matter so much more than the specific platform you are on...

jacquesm 11y ago

Bullet proof would at least mean that we no longer have these infinite series of regressions, that what is fixed stays fixed. And 'obligatory xkcd's rarely are and I wished people would stop posting them as a way to settle an argument without being receptive to the core idea of that argument. The word 'standard' never was on my mind, merely a way to get things implemented properly once rather than re-implemented over and over again. How many HTML server components are there, in C alone? Then all the java ones, the ruby ones, the Go ones and all the other languages. Then all the crypto libraries and all their re-implementations and so on. There has to be a better way to do code re-use and to avoid the NIH syndrome that seems to be one of the major generators behind all these re-implementations of roughly the same thing. But it's so much easier to start again, rather than to delve into an existing code base, extend it properly and document it. There is little glory in a minor contribution to a much larger project. Starting over means it's your project, you get to be the big wheel and when you lose interest we have one more Swiss cheese to contend with.

wernercd 11y ago
Of course there is a better way... but the issue is: How are you going to make others use your way? How are you going to fund replacing the DECADES of existing tech? The XKCD puts it perfectly... you create a better way - and God knows, there has to be many better ways than say JavaScript or PHP - how are you going to MAKE people switch? Your better way - assuming it is perfect - is still crowded out and unable to gain any traction. I mean... ANYTHING that gets made gets a "format war". What makes you think Google, IBM, Microsoft, Apple, etc would all agree on something long enough to make that happen? We can't even get a new DVD format without years of fighting... What's perfect for Google (which revolves around Search) won't necessarily work for Microsoft (Which revolves around Server and Office)... Or Apple (Which revolves around... Magic?)... Or... What language should they all agree on? What "bullet proof" product will meet all their needs? What style of programming does everything everyone needs? You can't create that "perfect" solution, because people and companies that have such a massively different wants, needs and goals... That's why things such as TDD, Modular code, Code reviews, etc all matter so much more than the specific platform you are on...