The lack of study for even the simplest, universally acknowledged principles of software engineering has always troubled me. Proving any non-trivial conjecture

The lack of study for even the simplest, universally acknowledged principles of software engineering has always troubled me. Proving any non-trivial conjecture (for instance the proposition that version control reduces software cost) should be possible, but the cost of doing so is often prohibitively expensive. Until the evidence somehow materialises I think the best approach is to accept that software engineering is mostly a craft, not a science. That way we can heed the advice of respected software artisans with a clear conscience - all of which would recommend the use of source control.