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Discussion on: Software Development Is Unlike Construction

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Ben Halpern

gardening

This is generally my go-to. Sufficiently complex systems are a lot more like organisms than buildings. Yes, we have a lot of control over initial circumstance, and we can do lots of trimming along the way, but we don't get to be in control entirely.

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Doug Arcuri

When I recently discussed toy invention with a dev, I somehow repeated a shocking hidden thought "software is like building sandcastles." Although one would think I'm being pessimistic (indeed, I can be, seeing systems become washed away with newer ones over the years), my point was clear. In a positive light software starts with little effort and cost. A single person can build amazing things, now aided by the sidecar AI assistant helping with the paired analogies like mixing, structuring, and sculpting. One person can capture the minds (and potentially wallets!?) of the beach.