Computer Quote by Alan Cooper
“It has been said that the great scientific disciplines are examples of giants standing on the shoulders of other giants. It has also been said that the software industry is an example of midgets standing on the toes of other midgets.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Myth of the Software Industry, 2015
Contrasts scientific progress built on prior work with software development that often repeats mistakes without learning.
In simple terms: Software often repeats errors instead of building on past knowledge.
Key Takeaway
Learn from past work to avoid redundant mistakes.
Themes
innovation
history
learning
software
science
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
analytical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- tech startups
- open source projects
- academic research
- corporate development
Key Concepts
knowledge transfer
legacy systems
industry culture
Questions to Reflect On
- What can software teams do to honor past achievements?
- How can we foster better knowledge sharing?
A Different Perspective
May overlook genuine advances in software that do build on prior art.
