Why do techies insist that things should be sped up, torqued, optimized? | |
There’s one obvious reason, of course: They do it because of the dictates of the market. Capitalism handsomely rewards anyone who can improve a process and squeeze some margin out. But with software, there’s something else going on too. For coders, efficiency is more than just a tool for business. It’s an existential state, an emotional driver. | |
Coders might have different backgrounds and political opinions, but nearly every one I’ve ever met found deep, almost soulful pleasure in taking something inefficient — even just a little bit slow — and tightening it up a notch. Removing the friction from a system is an aesthetic joy; coders’ eyes blaze when they talk about making something run faster or how they eliminated some bothersome human effort from a process. | |
— Clive Thompson | |
From his article: “Efficiency Is Beautiful“ | |
In Wired Magazine, dtd: April 2019 | |
Also online at: https://www.wired.com/story/coders-efficiency-is-beautiful/ | |
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Archive for December 27th, 2019
Almost Soulful Pleasure
Posted in Economics, Philosophy, Quotes, Science and Learning, tagged Capitalism, Clive Thompson, Coding, Efficiency Is Beautiful, Optimization, Philosophy, Quotes, Wired Magazine, Wired.com on December 27, 2019| Leave a Comment »