Complex rules lead to stupid applications
18 Jun 2006 16:27 - (2) comments
Pragmatic Programmer, Andrew Hunt on complexity
Simple rules ... lead to complex behavior. Complex rules, as with the tax law in most countries, lead to stupid behavior.
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The harder we tighten things down, the less room there is for a creative, emergent solution. Whether it�s locking down requirements before they are well understood or prematurely optimizing code, or inventing complex navigation and workflow scenarios before letting end users play with the system, the result is the same: an overly complicated, stupid system instead of a clean, elegant system that harnesses emergence.
This last pararaph reminds me of a certain Java Framework. You can build some basic applications with it if you stick to some complex lifecycle. Just don't try anything 'out of the ordinary' like using the back button.
Comments
The same thing can be said of Java's static typing, imperfect OO implementation (not everything is an object) and added complexity with annotations and generics.
On 18 Jun 19:40 by Echo
A good framework makes life easier by reducing complexity through higher abstractions.
Many so called frameworks (e.g. Struts, JSF) don't, instead they add more complexity and remove flexibility .
On 20 Jun 9:04 by marek
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