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July 15, 2004
Dan Bricklin's 200 year software
Dan Bricklin (one of the inventors of the first PC spreadsheet, Visicalc) has written a very interesting essay entitled "Software That Lasts 200 Years." He argues that we should take the same approach to software as we do to public infrastructure: Openness, standards, inspection, public inquiries to learn from failures - and not relying on volunteerism alone.
Dan's writings page is a pleasure to peruse - for instance, he wrote an essay on the future of the music industry in 2002 ago which shaped much of my thinking on the subject - especially the notion that record sales may be down less for downloading than because youngsters were spending their disposable funds on mobile phone services. Enjoy.
Posted by Espen at July 15, 2004 09:36 AM
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Dan Bricklin: ''We need to start thinking about software in a way more like how we think about building bridges, dams, and sewers. What we build must last for generations without total rebuilding. This requires new thinking and new ways of organizing d... [Read More]
Tracked on August 4, 2004 12:42 PM