Comments on: The Software Development Dark Ages

By: Paul W. Homer

Paul W. Homer — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 22:39:39 +0000

I personally think there is a huge gap between what we ‘can’ build and what we do build. The tools are a lot better, but our systems are only marginally better; they are also way less dependable. It is not just the young who get frustrated, but also those of us who see the potential of computers get bogged down into the bad practices of the software industry.

http://theprogrammersparadox.blogspot.com/2007/11/mind-gap.html

Paul.

By: tom

tom — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 12:45:12 +0000

That’s a very interesting point, Pete. No doubt that today’s tools are immeasurably better than yesterday’s – so why do people still pine for something *more*? Perhaps – as you imply – that juvenile sense of “surely there’s a better way to do this” is largely psychological. Perhaps we *are* doing things better than we were yesterday – but now instead of being asked to build houses given some mud, we’re being asked to cobble skyscrapers together with a hammer and some nails. Same problem on a different scale.

Thanks for your thoughts, most insightful.

By: pete

pete — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 04:36:55 +0000

When you get a little bit older, you’ll realize you can ignore viewpoints like those of Gronlund. People have been singing that same song for decades. The fact is that every time we drag ourselves to a higher level of abstraction, it becomes possible to build more complicated systems, so we do. And then there we are right back in the same spot again with the younger impatient generation feeling as if they are banging sticks and rocks together. You’ll get better tools, all right, but then your manager will just expect you to build more impressive programs with them. Get used to it.

By: Alastair Revell

Alastair Revell — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 10:45:38 +0000

Tom

I have a lot of sympathy with much of what you write in this post. I agree that incremental improvements will continue, but are unlikely to lead to a paradigm shift, although there is an undeniable trend towards more powerful tools that enable us to do more in less time.

You also raise some interesting points about software patents and how they are likely to strangle innovation rather than protect it!

Alastair Revell
Managing Consultant
Revell Research Systems