4 ms·

I reckon all software is plumbing. Plumbing as in taking data in, processing it, and pushing the data out. Doesn't matter if it's a database, a compiler, or a C

• segmondy 9y ago
  No, plumbing is taking prebuilt pieces like pipes and elbows, joints, valves and just putting them together. There are plenty of software that is not about taking pre-existing packages and gluing them together, but rather involves construction from the ground up. Building a CRUD app using an existing framework, and an existing rest API with little to no custom business logic is plumbing. Using sci-kit for your ML app is plumbing. Writing your own novel ML/deep learning algorithm, shoving the data in and out of GPUs is not plumbing.
  • contingencies 9y ago
    Your distinction doesn't hold up to analysis: at some level any system can be said to consist of elbow joints - eg. "processor opcodes are just elbow joints." The same can be said not only of the subsystems but also the intellectual heritage of so-called "original" systems. Nothing and everything is new. News at nine. Someone watches the news. They create a new system ever so subtly influenced by yours. Ad infinitum.
  • VonGallifrey 9y ago
    > Writing your own novel ML/deep learning algorithm, shoving the data in and out of GPUs is not plumbing. This is plumbing as well by your definition. Writing your own novel ML/deep learning algorithm also take "pre-existing packages" and glues them together. Unless you are actually going to write your own custom OS, Language and drivers you are going to reuse stuff. I don't think there is anything wrong with using pre-existing packages and the like. We all are doing that anyways unless your are Terry A. Davis off course.