in reply to (OT): 200-year software

The article "sounds good" but is reminscent of discussions which go on in the Ivory Towers of education and government, which assumes a neat and orderly future. The reality is the future is totally uncertain, because of the coming turmoil due to world overpopulation, and the effects of global warming. So how are we going to design "software for 200 years", when we don't even know if the current power grid will be up and running next month?

So we are forced to plod along, adapting from year to year, to the current circumstances; while the big companies think soley in terms of making short term profits.

I'm not really a human, but I play one on earth. flash japh

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Re^2: (OT): 200-year software
by freddo411 (Chaplain) on Jul 15, 2004 at 18:13 UTC
    The reality is the future is totally uncertain, because of the coming turmoil due to world overpopulation, and the effects of global warming.
    Well, we could be hit by a very large asteroid, or have a supernova in a nearby star, (both more certain in their negative effects than the two cited pseudo-disasters) but that isn't an argument not to design our software and data storage methods thinking long term.

    ... while the big companies think solely in terms of making short term profits.
    Many companies make long term investments, as do individuals. Companies are not the only actors in our stage either; NGO, non-profits and the gov't all spend considerable sums on things they need. Big (and little) companies thinking about this quarter's profit will gladly code to open specs that are engineered (as best as is feasible) to last as long as it is specified in the contract.

    I find the article's argument compelling. I think it is wise to begin to engineer important computer software infrastructure using principles that will:
    * Make it last
    * Make it open for everyone to use
    * Make it open for everyone to improve

    Consider some of the systems used on the Internet. RFCs provide a mechanism for intelligent distributed design of software. The standards like TCP/IP DNS HTTP provide underlying sw infrastructure that has lasted at 20 to 30 years already. It would be wise to continue this trend and create similar specifications for voting systems, public accounting systems, and public records systems.

    <sarcasm>
    Or maybe we should just crawl in our holes because the weather might be bad tomorrow.
    </sarcasm>

    -------------------------------------
    Nothing is too wonderful to be true
    -- Michael Faraday

[reply]
      <from the hole>

      "The best laid plans of mice and men often go astray".

      </from the hole>

      Plan for unexpected things to happen, especially in a "fast-paced rat-race civilization".

      I'm not really a human, but I play one on earth. flash japh
[reply]
        Yeah, that's true. Out here in Earthquake country I'm going to be securing the furniture and stocking up on supplies this weekend. Really. ;-)

        Cheers

        -------------------------------------
        Nothing is too wonderful to be true
        -- Michael Faraday

[reply]

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