changeset 12:018d5f9a2993

wrote about upgrowth and survival (ch03)
author meillo@marmaro.de
date Sat, 20 Feb 2010 23:54:43 +0100 (2010-02-20)
parents b32a43a62cae
children c665b9e7bf8a
files unix-phil.ms
diffstat 1 files changed, 39 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-) [+]
line wrap: on
line diff
--- a/unix-phil.ms	Sat Feb 20 15:24:40 2010 +0100
+++ b/unix-phil.ms	Sat Feb 20 23:54:43 2010 +0100
@@ -533,11 +533,47 @@
 .SH
 Upgrowth and survival of software
 .LP
-
-portability
+So far it was talked about \fIwriting\fP or \fIbuilding\fP software.
+Although it is just a verb, it does imply a specific view on the work process
+it describes.
+The better verb, however, is to \fIgrow\fP.
+.PP
+Creating software in the sense of the Unix Philosophy is an incremental process.
+It starts with a first prototype, which evolves as requirements change.
+A quickly hacked shell script might become a large, sophisticated,
+compiles program this way.
+During its lifetime, it will get extended, rearranged, rebuilt (from scratch).
+Growing software matches the view that ``software is never finished. It is only released.''
+.[
+FIXME
+gancarz p.26
+.]
+In this view, building a software is an evolutionary process;
+it begins with the initial prototype and ends when the software is not used anymore.
+.PP
+Successful software is used by many for a long time.
+This implies that the software is needed, useful, and better than alternatives.
+Darwin talks about: ``The survival of the fittest.''
+.[
+FIXME
+.]
+Transferred to software: The most successful software, is the fittest,
+is the one that survives.
+The fitness is affected mainly by three properties:
+.IP \(bu
+portability of code
+.IP \(bu
+portability of data
+.IP \(bu
+range of usability
+.IP \(bu
+reuseability of parts
+.LP
+foo
 
+.PP
 text files
-
+.PP
 reuse of independent parts