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Simplicity (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simplicity http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simplicity) is the result of understanding. As our understanding grows, our des

by espeed 15y ago

Simplicity (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simplicity http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simplicity) is the result of understanding. As our understanding grows, our designs become simpler. It seems that a lot of smart people are aware of this and find it significant. Einstein spent the last 30 years of his life chasing a simple equation, "perhaps no more than one inch long," that would explain all physical phenomena. One of his famous quotes is, "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough." Rick Hickey recently gave a talk entitled "Simple Made Easy" (http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3135185 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3135185) where he contrasts simple and easy. In Steve Jobs' memorial, he was quoted as saying, "Simple can be harder than complex. You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPUsuY8JZJI http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPUsuY8JZJI).

denisonwright 15y ago
“Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler." - Einstein http://www.smileecards.com/card/einstein-on-simplicity http://www.smileecards.com/card/einstein-on-simplicity
- gwern 15y ago
  That was not Einstein but a drastic paraphrase: https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Albert_Einstein#1930s https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Albert_Einstein#1930s
dean 15y ago
I agree with you. That's what I think about when I think about simplicity. It's really about having a deep enough understanding of what you are doing so that you can eliminate all the unnecessary bits. Sometimes the initial version of code can be like a Rube Goldberg machine, and it gets this way because we don't fully understand the problem or solution yet. The code works, but it's complicated. You can make it simpler only by coming to a better understanding.
- espeed 15y ago
  Sometimes the initial version of code can be like a Rube Goldberg machine I like that -- "Rube Goldberg" would be a good moniker for initial releases :)
firefoxman1 15y ago
"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." --Leonardo Da Vinci
- mikeleeorg 15y ago
  "Simplicity isn't just a visual style. It's not just minimalism or the absence of clutter. It involves digging through the depth of complexity. To be truly simple, you have to go really deep." -- Jony Ive

by espeed 15y ago

denisonwright 15y ago

“Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler." - Einstein http://www.smileecards.com/card/einstein-on-simplicity http://www.smileecards.com/card/einstein-on-simplicity

gwern 15y ago
That was not Einstein but a drastic paraphrase: https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Albert_Einstein#1930s https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Albert_Einstein#1930s

dean 15y ago

I agree with you. That's what I think about when I think about simplicity. It's really about having a deep enough understanding of what you are doing so that you can eliminate all the unnecessary bits. Sometimes the initial version of code can be like a Rube Goldberg machine, and it gets this way because we don't fully understand the problem or solution yet. The code works, but it's complicated. You can make it simpler only by coming to a better understanding.

espeed 15y ago
Sometimes the initial version of code can be like a Rube Goldberg machine I like that -- "Rube Goldberg" would be a good moniker for initial releases :)

firefoxman1 15y ago

"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." --Leonardo Da Vinci

mikeleeorg 15y ago
"Simplicity isn't just a visual style. It's not just minimalism or the absence of clutter. It involves digging through the depth of complexity. To be truly simple, you have to go really deep." -- Jony Ive