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Science and software both have the problem of dealing with complexity. Imagine what software development would look like if we applied the principles of scienc

by sazz 4y ago

Science and software both have the problem of dealing with complexity. Imagine what software development would look like if we applied the principles of science: We wouldn't start from scratch with a new software program. Instead, we would refer to code from the 1960s that has been proven to be a development-theoretic consensus and accepted by developers. We would not speak in software life cycles, but would either "revolutionize" a piece of software or extend the existing standard. We would allow that we trust code from developers because some other developers say it will fit. However, we don't know if the "other developers" would have the same financial interests. And we would allow interested parties with enough resources to influence this process at will by publishing permutations of similar software and trusting each other. We would have our own marketing agencies that are adept at injecting arbitrary constructs of their own into the "developer consensus". And every developer who refuses to do this, who develop their own frameworks and pursues their own software ideas in a detached manner, would be branded as a liar and their reputation be destroyed with the help of the "developer consensus" spoke persons under the payroll of corporate interests.

probably_wrong 4y ago
I started reading your list thinking I'd get an essay of how ridiculous software development would look like, only to get a list that more or less matches what a significant part of software development looks like. I guess Poe's law strikes again.
- sazz 4y ago
  There is no "right" way in how to deal with complexity. Yes, both disciplines have their own way of handling that subject. And each discipline is struggeling how to find a way to gain evolution. For me the key performance indicator is that in software development people controlled open source now takes a crucial part in the basis of most software projects whereas in science everything is much more corporate infected. In science knowledge is created where money is. And money comes from corporate interests. In software corporate interests tried to control the market but in the end had to capitulate. Most servers are run based on open source, most software is developed with tools being open source. Of course, there is no standard. You can write an application in Vue, React, Angular, JSP or whatever. Yes, in the end software industry is insance. They have managed to get accepted that every five year the old software is scrapped and basically the same software is developed again. But letting old software die and creating a new version with new ideas in mind is much closer to the way nature is doing things. And to be honest - the only one who really can deal with complexity is nature hands down.
  - evilsnoopi3 4y ago

by sazz 4y ago

probably_wrong 4y ago

I started reading your list thinking I'd get an essay of how ridiculous software development would look like, only to get a list that more or less matches what a significant part of software development looks like. I guess Poe's law strikes again.

sazz 4y ago
There is no "right" way in how to deal with complexity. Yes, both disciplines have their own way of handling that subject. And each discipline is struggeling how to find a way to gain evolution. For me the key performance indicator is that in software development people controlled open source now takes a crucial part in the basis of most software projects whereas in science everything is much more corporate infected. In science knowledge is created where money is. And money comes from corporate interests. In software corporate interests tried to control the market but in the end had to capitulate. Most servers are run based on open source, most software is developed with tools being open source. Of course, there is no standard. You can write an application in Vue, React, Angular, JSP or whatever. Yes, in the end software industry is insance. They have managed to get accepted that every five year the old software is scrapped and basically the same software is developed again. But letting old software die and creating a new version with new ideas in mind is much closer to the way nature is doing things. And to be honest - the only one who really can deal with complexity is nature hands down.
- evilsnoopi3 4y ago