alt Hacker NewsIf we had followed this more seriously in the past, we would have still stuck on to writing C for enterprise applications and had way too many memory bugs. Aren’t we glad there was a demographic who said no to C and brought the revolutionary idea to use Java instead?
Couldn’t a Lindy enthusiast have gone “umm but isn’t Java too new and shouldn’t we just stick to C which is well trodden and understood??”
It’s easy to write sloganeering articles. But it doesn’t tell me anything specific.
Invoking Lindy is just bias to status quo. I prefer bias to progress but respecting chestertons fence.
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A lot of the article is extremely useful for people creating software libraries, IMHO.
Under the section -
"Applying the Lindy effect to software engineering"
The suggestions are -
- Prudent Adoption
- Stick to Proven Foundation
- Plan for Longevity
- Embrace Evolution, Not Revolution
I really like the concept of novelty budget: keep most parts boring and use new stuff only where you can gain an advantage from it.
> Couldn’t a Lindy enthusiast have gone “umm but isn’t Java too new and shouldn’t we just stick to C which is well trodden and understood??”
I think people often misrepresent history because they view it with the benefit of hindsight. People who chose to use Java didn't do it to embrace a revolutionary idea, they were embracing an evolutionary one. It seemed like a natural optimization step, rather than a clean slate.
Most Jave devs were proficient C devs who found the idea of a platform independent C quite appealing.
That's the Lindy effect. C (the essence of it) survives in Java and right up to JS/python/go.
In contrast consider Pascal, Fotran, Perl, COBOL, (and dare I say ... Lisp ?)
I think the Lindy effect is less about making strong arguments about which tool to use in debates, and more about calling out and explaining a real life phenomenon.
I've invoked it in my job mostly to explain to younger developers why learning vim keybindings+terminal git usage while they have the most plasticity is most likely going to be a good bet for the remainder of their career, as editors, operating systems and associated keybindings & UI will change around them much more often than those fundamentals.
It's not a guarantee, and i wouldn't bet my entire business on the Lindy effect, but it is worth reflecting on it as an explanation of something that is paradoxical or not obvious.