4 ms·

Until you have a definitive answer, err on the side of simplicity.

tomnipotent 1y ago
You err on the side of what's best for your business given known constraints. Usually frameworks make teams more productive, and that's worth more than "simplicity", whatever that means to you.
sanderjd 1y ago
You never have a definitive answer. It's always probabilistic. You make the decision that you think has the highest odds of success at every point in time.
- emseetech 1y ago
  Success for the current requirements? Or success for an imagined future?
  - sanderjd 1y ago
    For an imagined future. If you're building something with specifications, then what are we even talking about? You know what you need to build so just build that. But this thread is about what to do when you don't know. "Start the simplest way" is not always the right answer, because you have some information about what you plan or want or hope to build, so you can use that information. Not everything is a set of hyperlinked webpages, and you often know that right away, even when you don't have many details sorted out at all.
    - emseetech 1y ago
      We have a fundamental difference of philosophy.
      - sanderjd 1y ago
        What is your philosophy?
    - xigoi 1y ago
      > A complex system that works has evolved from a simple system that worked. A complex system built from scratch won’t work. —John Gall
      - sanderjd 1y ago
        I'm not suggesting building a complex system from scratch. I'm suggesting building systems using tools designed to support the kind of system you're building. Do you think your quote is true in all cases? Or are you implying that choosing to build using a framework implies building a complex system frame scratch? Consider a different kind of system. Does every triple-A video game evolve from a simple framework-free implementation, or do most of them choose a graphics engine to build on top of? If a game studio chooses Unity from the start, for instance, is it building a complex system that won't work? How is it any different to choose a web application framework from the start when building a web application?

You err on the side of what's best for your business given known constraints. Usually frameworks make teams more productive, and that's worth more than "simplicity", whatever that means to you.

sanderjd 1y ago

You never have a definitive answer. It's always probabilistic. You make the decision that you think has the highest odds of success at every point in time.

emseetech 1y ago
Success for the current requirements? Or success for an imagined future?
- sanderjd 1y ago
  For an imagined future. If you're building something with specifications, then what are we even talking about? You know what you need to build so just build that. But this thread is about what to do when you don't know. "Start the simplest way" is not always the right answer, because you have some information about what you plan or want or hope to build, so you can use that information. Not everything is a set of hyperlinked webpages, and you often know that right away, even when you don't have many details sorted out at all.
  - emseetech 1y ago
    We have a fundamental difference of philosophy.
    - sanderjd 1y ago
      What is your philosophy?
  - xigoi 1y ago
    > A complex system that works has evolved from a simple system that worked. A complex system built from scratch won’t work. —John Gall
    - sanderjd 1y ago
      I'm not suggesting building a complex system from scratch. I'm suggesting building systems using tools designed to support the kind of system you're building. Do you think your quote is true in all cases? Or are you implying that choosing to build using a framework implies building a complex system frame scratch? Consider a different kind of system. Does every triple-A video game evolve from a simple framework-free implementation, or do most of them choose a graphics engine to build on top of? If a game studio chooses Unity from the start, for instance, is it building a complex system that won't work? How is it any different to choose a web application framework from the start when building a web application?