One of the Dangers of software development: Easy to Say != Easy to Do

One of the dangers of software development is that people tend to believe that because something is easy to say means that it is easy to do.  For example, all Windows does is provide a user interface to load programs and handle devices.  This sounds rather easy.  Unfortuantely, it is over simplistic.  Let's look at some of the issues that must be overcome:
  • Handle the differences in video.  There are many video cards on the market.  How do you handle the differences between them? 
  • What should a user interface look like?
  • What kinds of devices should be supported?  Hard drives, USB, Firewire, Printers, etc.
  • Who is responsible for handling these devices?
  • How do you handle networks?
  • On and on.....................

Just because something is easy to say, doesn't mean that it is easy to do.

Original post: http://morewally.com/cs/blogs/wallym/archive/2006/09/26/373.aspx 

2 Comments

  • Hmmm. That's kind of saying 1 and 1 equals two.

    I don't know of anything that's easier done than said. Do you?

    ;)

  • Wim, actually a number of people don't understand this as a concept. One of the biggest problems is that developers and technologists don't typically communicate very well with non-technologists. Technologists are too quick to say that they can do something without communicating the ramifications of an act.

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