5 ms·
And what's the alternative? We rewrite the whole stack in Java/C++/C# this year, and in 20 years we rewrite the whole thing again in Rust? That really doesn't s
by 0xffff2 6y ago
And what's the alternative? We rewrite the whole stack in Java/C++/C# this year, and in 20 years we rewrite the whole thing again in Rust? That really doesn't seem like an improvement to me.
- theshrike79 6y agoThe alternative would be to keep the code fresh. If you let it stagnate, the hidden knowledge on how and - more importantly - WHY it does things gets lost. If you write it once and fire all the programmers, every update is a huge undertaking with immense risks. But if you keep reiterating and refactoring it slowly over time, the code stays fresh and the knowledge isn't lost. You might change the language stack for the whole product during the iterations, maybe just use a fresh stack for a part of it. Maybe keep the old tech, but make it more readable and easier to integrate with other systems.
- Too 6y agoSame thing happens everywhere. Fire code, regulations and other best practices improve and we don't use asbestos, leaded pipes or non-grounded electricity to build houses anymore, despite how good and convenient it was 30 years ago. Now you could still live in such an old house today and be happy but the moment you remodel and tear down that asbestos wall you will need to sanitize the whole thing from dangerous particles. Same thing with old programming languages, they don't have the same guard rails as today so once you start tearing up old dust there could be invisible demons awaiting, especially if done by people with limited experience in such environment.