If you compare the aqueducts to software, you might draw the completely wrong conclusions. Software that was extremely well built in the 70s is mostly gone (or

If you compare the aqueducts to software, you might draw the completely wrong conclusions. Software that was extremely well built in the 70s is mostly gone (or if it's still there, it's not exactly admired by todays software craftsmen (looking at you, airline ticket booking systems)). What makes software endure over time is its ability to react to changes of wildly different varieties (market shifts, changing hardware, new technology, ...). The Linux kernel might still be popular in 30 years, but it will likely look very different from today. If it looks the same in the way the aqueducts do, it won't be relevant anymore and will most likely be forgotten eventually.