news.volyx.in

Choose Boring Technology (boringtechnology.club)

1357 points by luu · 2669 days ago · 344 comments on HN

Article summary

The article discusses the idea of choosing boring technology, with the author reflecting on their essay of the same name. The essay was presented at the WikiMedia Foundation's developer conference, where it was described as a guide for young people on how to be old. The author seems to have accepted the popularity of their essay and is now sharing it in spoken word format. The article also mentions the author's other talks and website.

Main themes

  • boring technology
  • code as liability
  • problem solving
  • reinventing the wheel
  • learning from the past

What commenters say

  • Code can be both a liability and an asset, depending on the context and maintenance costs.
  • The goal of writing code should be to solve problems, not to chase trends or pad one's resume.
  • Reinventing the wheel can be a valuable learning experience, but it can also lead to repeating past mistakes.
  • Choosing boring technology can be a wise decision, as it often requires less maintenance and upkeep than newer, more complex solutions.
  • Code is a means to an end, and its value lies in the functionality it provides, not in the code itself.
  • The concept of code as a liability is not about the code being bad, but about the ongoing costs and maintenance required to keep it running.
  • Experience and wisdom are necessary to understand the trade-offs between using existing technology and inventing new solutions.