Why does it take so long to build software? (2020)
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Why does it take so long to build software? (2020)
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Re: Why does it take so long to build software? (2020)
#2Some interesting thoughts in here. I guess the main thing is that there is basically infinite demand for more things in software. You can take almost any feature from any product and come up with new things you would like it to do that would take entire teams of developers to work on.
Software will never get quicker to develop because we will always request the absolute maximum amount of features that the market can stand to afford.
Basically every area has exploded with more features and is still way way behind what people would ideally want. Just look at the difference between Discord and IRC.
Re: Why does it take so long to build software? (2020)
#3Try building hardware. That's harder.
Re: Why does it take so long to build software? (2020)
#4Some interesting thoughts in here. I guess the main thing is that there is basically infinite demand for more things in software. You can take almost any feature from any product and come up with new things you would like it to do that would take entire teams of developers to work on. Software will never get quicker to develop because we will always request the absolute maximum amount of features that the market can…
I mean.... isn't this true for hardware too?
Razors today looks very different from the ones when it was invented. Same goes for vacuum cleaners, cars, tools for construction/manual task, the list goes on.
The only notable difference is that each iteration of hardware have a vividly clear version start/end date compared to the rolling versioning of software. First vacuum cleaner was invented 1908...
Re: Why does it take so long to build software? (2020)
#5Also, user needs are evolving constantly (or are identified in an iterative cycle) and code is structurally not very good at changing constantly.
Re: Why does it take so long to build software? (2020)
#6I think Paras Parmar's comment on that page is spot on.
Re: Why does it take so long to build software? (2020)
#7Try building hardware. That's harder.
That's how it got the name
Re: Why does it take so long to build software? (2020)
#8Some interesting thoughts in here. I guess the main thing is that there is basically infinite demand for more things in software. You can take almost any feature from any product and come up with new things you would like it to do that would take entire teams of developers to work on. Software will never get quicker to develop because we will always request the absolute maximum amount of features that the market can…
But do we actually have more features? I don't think Google Docs has more features than Ami Pro.
I think the problem is the modern focus on adding features, without consideration whether and how these compose. Not all features are equal - some can be used as a foundation on which more can be easily built, while some are a detriment to that. Just adding features without architectural consideration leads to - surprisingly - bad architecture.
Re: Why does it take so long to build software? (2020)
#9Some interesting thoughts in here. I guess the main thing is that there is basically infinite demand for more things in software. You can take almost any feature from any product and come up with new things you would like it to do that would take entire teams of developers to work on. Software will never get quicker to develop because we will always request the absolute maximum amount of features that the market can…
But do we actually have more features? I don't think Google Docs has more features than Ami Pro. I think the problem is the modern focus on adding features, without consideration whether and how these compose. Not all features are equal - some can be used as a foundation on which more can be easily built, while some are a detriment to that. Just adding features without architectural consideration leads to - surprisin…
> Just adding features without architectural consideration leads to - surprisingly - bad architecture.
But you don't sell architecture. You sell features.
And people write their own Google Docs features. I have spent a bunch of time coding up things for that.
Re: Why does it take so long to build software? (2020)
#10Some interesting thoughts in here. I guess the main thing is that there is basically infinite demand for more things in software. You can take almost any feature from any product and come up with new things you would like it to do that would take entire teams of developers to work on. Software will never get quicker to develop because we will always request the absolute maximum amount of features that the market can…
I guess the main thing is that there is basically infinite demand for more things in software.
Law is very similar to software in this way. They both also take a long time to write & are never actually "finished."