CSAIL Alliances Podcasts Becoming a Flexible Programmer with Gerald Jay Sussman
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Jun 6, 2022 
Gerald Jay Sussman, a renowned MIT professor, engages listeners with his insights on flexible programming and the interplay between academia and industry. He discusses software fragility and the significance of adaptability in programming practices. The conversation highlights Postel's Law and the evolving role of AI in making software development more user-friendly. Sussman also reflects on his mentorship experiences and innovative research, sharing details about the fascinating Digital Orrery project that addresses challenges in orbital mechanics.
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Understanding Software Brittleness
- Software brittleness arises mainly from lack of incentives in academia and rushed time-to-market pressures in industry.
- Brittle software is unreliable, unmaintainable, and leads to repeated redevelopment, harming productivity and quality.
Emacs: A Flexible Software Example
- Emacs is a 40-year-old free software text editor that thrived with thousands of contributors and major revisions.
- Its design based on an interpretive language made it adaptable and highly durable, surviving continuous evolution.
Applying Postel's Law in Software
- Apply Postel's Law: accept input generously but be exact with output.
- This approach increases stability and flexibility, making software resilient to input variations like different temperature scales.