Tuesday, May 02, 2006

Well, what is your software like?

Whilst clearing out my Inbox I stumbled across an notification of a recent article by Sean McGrath on software analogies. After discussing two earlier analogies (mathematics and language) he reveals his latest favoured metaphor: "Software is like concrete." Now ain't that the truth!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

That's like saying shoes are like apples. "Nothing more needs to be said."

Unless a structural object metaphor with porous paths...? But that is stretching it for me.

I'm curious how you interpreted that comparison.

-LC

APC said...

>> I'm curious how you interpreted that comparison.

Concrete is the basis of most modern architecture. When concrete is wet we can mould it into any shape we like. But once's it set we can only shift it with a lump hammer. And it weathers horribly.