Return guest sam boyer joins Ian & Kris to discuss the complexities of simplicity in software development, exploring the difference between simplicity and ease, the importance of understanding the problem and users, and the challenges of reducing complex problems to simplistic solutions.
Write comments to document and evaluate design choices against requirements.
Prioritize simplicity at system edges and make conscious decisions about where to simplify.
LLMs will revolutionize software development with their accuracy and efficiency.
Deep dives
Document your code
Write comments to document what you're doing and ensure that what you think you're building is actually what you're building.
Understand requirements and iterate in a feedback loop
Spend time understanding requirements and continuously test and evaluate your design choices against those requirements.
Choose where to put simplicity
Be thoughtful about where to prioritize simplicity, especially at the edges of your system, and make conscious decisions about where to simplify.
Pre-release video games are not a problem
The uproar and criticism surrounding pre-release video games is excessive and unnecessary. If you don't want to play an unfinished game, simply don't buy the pre-released version. The choice is yours, and there is no need to feel obligated to support or criticize the developers for their approach to releasing games.
The rise of LLMs in software development
LLMs (Language Model Models) will have a significant impact on the future of software development. The ability of LLMs to provide mostly accurate answers in a fraction of the time compared to traditional engineering approaches will revolutionize the industry. While some individuals may feel uneasy about the potential displacement of certain software tasks, it is important to recognize the advantages and embrace the evolution of technology in the field.
Rob Pike says, “Simplicity is the art of hiding complexity.” If that’s true, what is simplicity in the context of writing software in Go? Is it even something we should strive for? Can software be too simple? Ian & Kris discuss with return guest sam boyer.
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