4 ms·

Because "Worse is Better" entered the lexicon circa 1991. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worse_is_better https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worse_is_better

• jonathanrmumm 2y ago
  yes, why? seems like not that useful of a phrase if it needs an explanation with parenthesis in a wikipedia
  • nicklaf 2y ago
    The phrase was made famous in an influential essay[0] by Richard P. Gabriel, where he laments Lisp's relative failure to compete with Unix. In Gabriel's opinion, Unix proved to follow the more adaptive design strategy in certain ways (in spite of his involvement with and admiration for Lisp), and the phrase "Worse is better" is meant to capture the essence of that advantageous strategy (as outlined in the essay). The essay is worth reading and is a bit more elaborate than just saying "less is more", or "keep it simple, stupid". [0] https://dreamsongs.com/WorseIsBetter.html https://dreamsongs.com/WorseIsBetter.html
    • jonathanrmumm 2y ago
      Ah so it’s more “if it’s not broken enough, don’t fix it”
      • simonmic 2y ago
        Read the essays, they're excellent.
        • jonathanrmumm 2y ago
          > it is better to start with a minimal creation and grow it as needed yes, this is a much better explanation than the wikipedia