Julian TorresJun 15, 2024
Ken Scambler
Software architecture hot tips:
- Good things are better than bad things, except when they're not
- Also nothing is good or bad
- It depends
- The answer to every question is "it depends", except for when it doesn't. It depends
- Name three things you like. You can't have them at the same time
- No.
- There are many definitions of software architecture, but none of them are correct
- There's no such thing as software architecture
May 27, 2024 at 12:48pmWeb
Show threadAlpine TocsinsMay 27, 2024
@kenbot
- any decision you make now will be wrong
- you have to make a decision now, or things will be worse
Show threadDaniel HallMay 27, 2024
@nonspecialist @kenbot
- This decision will be better than the last one
- Next time you'll do better
Show threadAlpine TocsinsMay 27, 2024
@smarthall @kenbot
- if you don’t make a decision, it will be made for you and you’ll have to live with the consequences
Show threadJonathan YuJun 14, 2024
@nonspecialist @smarthall @kenbot If you do make a decision, you'll still have to live with the consequences. Even if your predecessor made the decisions, you'll live with the consequences
Show threadKen ScamblerJun 14, 2024
@jawnsy @nonspecialist @smarthall Consequences are for other people
Show threadSimon FrankauAug 29, 2024
@nonspecialist @smarthall @kenbot It's worse than that: Not making a decision is, in itself, a form of decision. Usually a bad one.
Show threadAdvanced Persistent TeapotOct 1, 2024
@nonspecialist @smarthall @kenbot
- not making a decision is a decision. It's usually wrong.
Show threadChuckJun 14, 2024

@nonspecialist @kenbot

Every decision you make succeeds in teaching you something. Do not fear making a "wrong" decision, embrace the excitement of learning definitively what the right decision is!

Show threadDanil SuitsAug 29, 2024
@ChuckMcManis @nonspecialist @kenbot "Get used to disappointment."
Show threadChuckAug 29, 2024
@vocumsineratio @nonspecialist @kenbot https://media.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExbGZneWMycW53c2QzNTQ0Y3ZpNTMxMGc2czlvemE5cThiMjAyc3pqOSZlcD12MV9naWZzX3NlYXJjaCZjdD1n/Q5dBUeRqesv8gPPQkM/giphy.gif
Zombieorpheus Detecting GIF by zoefannet - Find & Share on GIPHY

Discover & share this zoefannet GIF with everyone you know. GIPHY is how you search, share, discover, and create GIFs.

Show threadDanil SuitsAug 29, 2024

@ChuckMcManis

https://y.yarn.co/f86cd0c6-aca3-4891-bd83-e500bd750902_text.gif

Show threadAlpine TocsinsJun 16, 2024

Well, this is doing the numbers as they say.

So, with my limited platform:
- trans women are real women
- trans men are real men
- be excellent to each other

Show threadPhil M0OFXAug 29, 2024
@nonspecialist @kenbot I thought you were describing moderating a chat group for a moment there...
Show threadAlpine TocsinsAug 29, 2024
@philpem @kenbot there are several similarities, yes
Show threadThe1goit Aug 29, 2024
@nonspecialist literally my life right now.
Show threadCaseyMay 29, 2024
@kenbot ah yes, metamodern architecture
Show threadStephen CollinsJun 14, 2024
@kenbot @jpm see also: design
Show threadjnfrd JanJun 14, 2024

@kenbot I agree. Mostly.

bad things are always bad. Good are sometimes bad.

Show threadMikael Lundin 🍀🥦♻️Jun 14, 2024
@kenbot I make a point of never telling clients ”it depends”. It’s like handing over the responsibility of a hard decision to someone that doesn’t have a clue.
I usually outline the problem, the alternatives and hand them my recommendation. Then they go ahead doing the opposite because they have a gut feeling, but at least I’ve done my part. 😉
Show threadKen ScamblerJun 14, 2024
@mikaellundin With you 100% there. It's always true, and therefore carries no weight on its own
Show threadJe ne comprends pasJun 14, 2024
@kenbot
- However you interpret a user's instructions will be wrong.
- However you interpret a user's insistence of what you should have done will also be wrong.
Show threadXilokarJun 14, 2024
@kenbot
I'll stick to the
- No
Show threadJayJun 14, 2024
@kenbot I'm currently seconded to my org's architecture team for three months and this hits hard
Show threadKen ScamblerJun 14, 2024
@jaystephens Good luck!
Show threadPeter Drake HAS MOVEDJun 14, 2024
@kenbot - anything that doesn't seem to make sense is that way for "historical reasons"
Show threadunlofl [Promoted Toot]Jun 17, 2024
@peterdrake @kenbot ah yes, the hysterical raisins
Show threadSean BootsJun 15, 2024
@kenbot @leeo Checks out. 😅👍
Show threadtobyhedeJun 15, 2024
@kenbot There are no silver bullets, except sometimes.
Show threadAdam LettJun 15, 2024
@kenbot If you say “it depends” but don’t say what it depends upon, I have to assume you just don’t know the answer, but don’t want to admit it.
Show threaddas-gJun 15, 2024

@Adamlett To want to answer "What does it depend on?" is laudable. The problem is that the true, honest answer to that is also often "It depends." It can be conditional conditionals All The Way Down™.

Some of them might be of fractal nature.

@kenbot #allTheWayDown #turtlesAllTheWayDown

Show threadAdam LettJun 17, 2024
@das_g @kenbot I’m skeptical that’s true. I find that a few clarifying questions and some reasonable assumptions are usually enough to provide a useful answer, if the person who provides it is qualified to answer the question in the first place. The problem is that some people are not willing to admit that they are not qualified to answer a question posed to them.
Show threadChris Ford Jun 15, 2024

@kenbot
"Name three things you like. You can't have them at the same time"

Also, "same time" is not well-defined.

Show threadKen ScamblerJun 15, 2024
@cford distributed systems triggering jokes deeply are
Show threadAndrew FeeneyOct 1, 2024

@kenbot @cford

I what you did there there

Show threaddeechJun 15, 2024
@kenbot There is always existing load bearing architecture that you must work with.
Show threadPhilip TrettnerJun 15, 2024
@kenbot - new, contradictory requirements arrive precisely the moment when costs of change become non-trivial
Show threadMarkJun 16, 2024
@kenbot
- Naming is hard. Unless there’s no one else around.
Show threadunlofl [Promoted Toot]Jun 17, 2024
@kenbot
- every database schema ever designed was wrong
- no database schema that matches its ERD or documentation has ever been spotted in the wild
- everyone is tired of the artist/album/song example and it's bad at demonstrating your ORM capabilities
- not using foreign key constraints will make you crazy
- using foreign key constraints will make you crazy
- databases were never supposed to migrate, but destruction of their natural habitat has led to...
Show threaddeechAug 29, 2024

@kenbot
> Name three things you like. You can't have them at the same time

Especially if one of them is money

Show threadSheogorathAug 29, 2024
@kenbot can we just stick with "No."? It has a nice ring to it :)
Show threadDan FitzGeraldAug 29, 2024

@kenbot "But what _is_ the innate definition of good? Kant says that --"

"Chidi, this is why everybody hates moral philosophy professors."

Show threadGytis RepečkaAug 29, 2024
@kenbot This is definitely not from some system architecture book, but instead from one of the many Agile mumbo-jumbos 
Show threadmaybeanerdAug 29, 2024
@kenbot reminded me of https://www.todepond.com/wikiblogarden/better-computing/just/depends/
Todepond dot com

Show threadMarcoAug 29, 2024
@kenbot as long as I can still tell people they are wrong I’m fine with this
Show threadMarcoAug 29, 2024
@kenbot or right, it depends
Show threadKen ScamblerAug 29, 2024
@anarres "Everyone is wrong" is eventually consistent
Show threadLucãoAug 30, 2024
@kenbot
- The important is what matters, the rest doesn't have importance
Show threadFrost, wolf of winter 🐺🎄Aug 30, 2024

@kenbot There's no such thing as a Software Architecture. It's the Software Architecture Development System.

We thank you. Clippy thanks you.

(I can't remember the whole spiel)

Show threadÓscar Morales VivóAug 30, 2024
@kenbot
- No architecture survives contact with reality.
Show threadfanf42Aug 31, 2024

@kenbot that made literally lol'ed, and I think it's a sign of clear post traumatic syndrome. I preferred when I wasn't aware. Or young and naive.

Still, it's excellent and I will spread the void words :)

Show threadeverton137Aug 31, 2024
@kenbot 😂
Show threadbouriquetSep 10, 2024
@kenbot On time, on budget, works without flaws.
Pick any two.
Show threadKen ScamblerSep 10, 2024
@bouriquet or fewer!
Show threadSteve JamesSep 10, 2024
@kenbot
The first rule of Software Architecture is that we don't mention Software Architecture.
Show threadAndrew FeeneyOct 1, 2024

@kenbot

I think that I would like to engrave this on a brass plate and hang it on my wall.

Show threadSonikkuOct 1, 2024
@kenbot
Wish my corporate overlords saw it that way
Show threadMatthew MartinOct 1, 2024
@kenbot - Deadlines don't matter
- Resource (money, labor) constraints don't matter. There is one correct architecture and we're not going to do it wrong by being cheap about it.
- Stay safe and don't limit yourself to one architecture, implement all of them. In each application.
- Some boxes with lines is a complete specification. Do not deviate from the plan.
- It depends (on if I've made up my mind). Ssh, don't say the quiet part loud.