6 ms·

Buried lede: software engineering doesn’t scale.

01HNNWZ0MV43FF 2y ago
It'll be funny if it ever does. AI replacing programmers is funny, AI replacing managers is hilarity. Also I think with open source it has scaled. I don't have to reinvent curl
- binary132 2y ago
  curl and git are amazing but they aren’t skyscrapers. Building a skyscraper, space shuttle, or integrated circuit is hard to organize even once, let alone to abstract over the process of organizing and building it so that it can be reproduced. I don’t think that problem is solved at all. And it’s not at all as simple as “just take the open source legos and slap a few of them together!”
  - defrost 2y ago
    > Building a skyscraper [...] is hard to organize even once, let alone to abstract over the process of organizing and building it so that it can be reproduced. I don’t think that problem is solved at all. Hong Kong has over 9,000 high-rise buildings, of which over 4,000 are skyscrapers standing taller than 100 m (328 ft) with 554 buildings above 150 m (492 ft). ~ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings_in_Hong_Kong https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings_in_H... A fair number of the Hong Kong skyscrapers appear to be cookie cutter | symmetry (reflection &| rotation) patterns. Elsewhere: As of September 2023, fourteen cities in the world have more than 100 skyscrapers that are 150 m (492 ft) or taller ~ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skyscraper https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skyscraper I'm going to suggest that high rise engineers have some pretty solid skyscraper templates today. The greater challenge likely comes from architects and investors wanting unique 'statement' designs.
    - seadan83 2y ago
      You make good points. I think this illustrates well that software engineering is much more akin to writing than it is to carpentry/construction. Thus, a team of software developers is more akin to a team of story writers than a team of carpenters. A software company is more akin to a newspaper (writers/reporter/chief editor) vs a construction firm (business giving direction to an architect and in turn a foreman + dozens of laborers)

It'll be funny if it ever does. AI replacing programmers is funny, AI replacing managers is hilarity. Also I think with open source it has scaled. I don't have to reinvent curl

binary132 2y ago
curl and git are amazing but they aren’t skyscrapers. Building a skyscraper, space shuttle, or integrated circuit is hard to organize even once, let alone to abstract over the process of organizing and building it so that it can be reproduced. I don’t think that problem is solved at all. And it’s not at all as simple as “just take the open source legos and slap a few of them together!”
- defrost 2y ago
  > Building a skyscraper [...] is hard to organize even once, let alone to abstract over the process of organizing and building it so that it can be reproduced. I don’t think that problem is solved at all. Hong Kong has over 9,000 high-rise buildings, of which over 4,000 are skyscrapers standing taller than 100 m (328 ft) with 554 buildings above 150 m (492 ft). ~ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings_in_Hong_Kong https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings_in_H... A fair number of the Hong Kong skyscrapers appear to be cookie cutter | symmetry (reflection &| rotation) patterns. Elsewhere: As of September 2023, fourteen cities in the world have more than 100 skyscrapers that are 150 m (492 ft) or taller ~ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skyscraper https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skyscraper I'm going to suggest that high rise engineers have some pretty solid skyscraper templates today. The greater challenge likely comes from architects and investors wanting unique 'statement' designs.
  - seadan83 2y ago
    You make good points. I think this illustrates well that software engineering is much more akin to writing than it is to carpentry/construction. Thus, a team of software developers is more akin to a team of story writers than a team of carpenters. A software company is more akin to a newspaper (writers/reporter/chief editor) vs a construction firm (business giving direction to an architect and in turn a foreman + dozens of laborers)