Why Is There So Much Crap Software in the World
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Why Is There So Much Crap Software in the World
1–10 of 27 posts
Re: Why Is There So Much Crap Software in the World
#2Because there are so many crap software developers
Re: Why Is There So Much Crap Software in the World
#3Because we don't value software quality enough to prioritize quality over other factors.
Re: Why Is There So Much Crap Software in the World
#4> Such incompetence would never fly in other engineering disciplines. We would never put up with bridges that are as buggy as your average software system. So why is software engineering so bad? Why is there so much crap software out there?
Software is (generally) much cheaper than a bridge too. And a lot of buyers are especially aggressive in cost-cutting.
Having a proper profession for Software Engineers doesn't sound so bad.
Re: Why Is There So Much Crap Software in the World
#5Nice article, but from the viewpoint of an Ancient IBM Mainframer, I wonder how ANYONE can become really expert?? The mainframe ecosystem was created to solve one major problem - stability. Up to that time, upgrading one's computer system meant rewriting the application software - simply untenable for organizations with ever-growing libraries of critical applications. It also allowed the upgrading and addition of new software (application and operating system) and hardware with minimal impact on existing software. This relative stability allowed competent (but non-genius) folks to become real experts.
When I see the current hurricane of ever-new and ever changing (evolving?!) software, the need to use an endless variety of differing products and technologies (including many libraries one has no control over), and endless discussions about the subtle differences and advantages and disadvantages of these competing / cooperating technologies.... How can anyone become really expert? How many can even become the fabled "full-stack" developer??
To me this really does not seem fair to the developer, especially those in smaller shops, where the developer almost seems to have to perform as a "full-stack" developer, whether they are or not. Just my 2 cents - I hope my impressions are wrong, but the app dev world sure seems scary!
Re: Why Is There So Much Crap Software in the World
#6I think it has less to do with the quality of developers and more to do with perverse incentive structures surrounding commercial software design. A piece of software that optimally solves a problem for the user is rarely optimal for generating revenue. Hence the common practice of companies breaking and sabotaging their own products to get the upsell while slowly turning them into spyware. The fundamental problem is engineers being forced to operate in bad faith, which interferes with them actually doing their jobs.
Obviously there is also bad free software out there, but it has more benign afflictions. Free software also tends to steadily improve with time, but commercial software is a roll of the dice with every update.
Re: Why Is There So Much Crap Software in the World
#7I think it has less to do with the quality of developers and more to do with perverse incentive structures surrounding commercial software design. A piece of software that optimally solves a problem for the user is rarely optimal for generating revenue. Hence the common practice of companies breaking and sabotaging their own products to get the upsell while slowly turning them into spyware. The fundamental problem is…
I would think that depends on the type of commercial software - if, for example, it's used in a large bank where faulty software could screw up a few million customer accounts - anyone who rolls the dice with that will soon be jobless. THAT software (application, OS, utilities, etc.) is usually VERY well tested.
Re: Why Is There So Much Crap Software in the World
#8I think it has less to do with the quality of developers and more to do with perverse incentive structures surrounding commercial software design. A piece of software that optimally solves a problem for the user is rarely optimal for generating revenue. Hence the common practice of companies breaking and sabotaging their own products to get the upsell while slowly turning them into spyware. The fundamental problem is…
I would think that depends on the type of commercial software - if, for example, it's used in a large bank where faulty software could screw up a few million customer accounts - anyone who rolls the dice with that will soon be jobless. THAT software (application, OS, utilities, etc.) is usually VERY well tested.
Even there, you can make the software work and be secure, and still get away with loads of maddening practices and making software that just barely does what it does, waiting for the customer to fund a feature.
Is it a smart business move? Debatable (I'd argue overdelivering on a SaaS product also helps bring in new customers). From a moral standpoint, I find it incredibly difficult to justify penny pinching and filling hours with malpractices and bureaucracy.
And for what it is worth: personal experience tells, a lot of customers are quite accepting of faulty software, as long as the damage can be reverted and minimized. Even those in finance. Wouldn't be the first time I see people casually solve a bug that caused millions worth of damage.
Re: Why Is There So Much Crap Software in the World
#9Everything seems to get crappier every year, not only software, due to economics I guess. Sure, there are also benefits, but the general trend seems to go towards crapier.
Re: Why Is There So Much Crap Software in the World
#10We have crap software because the (perceived) consequences of crap software are generally low: wasted time, rework, correctable errors. As the consequences of crap software become more serious, the tolerance for it goes down.
The reason there are so many terrible software developers is simple: the world tolerates the software they write.
This feature isn't limited to software. As Theodore Sturgeon put it, "90 percent of everything is crap".