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Once again, a great Linus Torvalds statement! I especially like the last paragraph, which has so much truth in it, and can be applied to small as well as large
by vog 16y ago
Once again, a great Linus Torvalds statement! I especially like the last paragraph, which has so much truth in it, and can be applied to small as well as large software projects:
Don't just make random changes. There really are only two acceptable models of development: "think and analyze" or "years and years of testing on thousands of machines". Those two really do work.
- masklinn 16y agoTo be fair, the second case really is just a matter of fossilized random changes.
- NetMonkey 16y agoLinus knows that and says so as well. But that's okay, because that works. Starting down that very same path again without a huge reason to do so would be very painful for any mature product.
- lindvall 16y agoThat is correct, but is based on a philosophy that the longer something has been in use, the less chance it has to demonstrate behavior that has not been previously observed — he even explains that in more detail in further posts where he discusses his desire to not cause regressions.
- gritzko 16y agoYep, that's how the evolution works. Understanding stuff is how the progress works.
- andrewflnr 16y agoDoesn't that mean that while it's actually happening, it's not, in fact, an acceptable development process?
- billswift 16y agoOr, in slightly different words, "understand it" or "test the hell out of it".
- watmough 16y agoI've worked with programmers who also would have argued with Linus, but there's no way I would have been able to be as direct as Linus has. This definitely struck a chord, though, and I have my own saying for silent retorts: "It's a computer program, not a #$%^ing Advent calendar." The point being, I want to see analysis and process, not just the right numbers popping up in the right boxes.