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There are two things being blurred together here that we need to separate: 1. Maintenance tasks needed to ensure continued original behavior and capability. 2
by Terr_ 10mo ago
There are two things being blurred together here that we need to separate:
1. Maintenance tasks needed to ensure continued original behavior and capability.
2. Renovations and alterations needed to maintain enough utility as environments and needs change.
A big truck that carries thousands of pounds of cargo is an asset, even if you have to replace the oil... But what happens when the water rises and you have to choose between junking it entirely versus welding on pontoons to make it float? Now all those strong welds of heavy steel start to seem like a liability.
Trucks mainly have problem #1, while software mainly has problem #2.
- altmanaltman 10mo agoBut in your example, the big truck is still an asset in all real sense of the word. If you have to junk it, you will write down that asset, but it doesn't magically become a liability just because you said so. Simillarly the new truck you get that can operate in that environment is also an asset, not a liability. Counter example: you can modify the truck to operate in that environment by adding extra stuff to it instead of junking it completely. The cost of doing that is an expense and the truck's asset value goes up based on that cost. The truck always remains an asset. If we want to just throw words around then yeah everything can be a liability and everything can be an asset based on how you think but then nothing means anything and your metaphor doesn't work.