--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A system needs to be alive and workable…" description: "\"A system needs to be alive and workable even when other people than the first enthusiasts start using it. Reinvention and revolution are enthusiast stu..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e7/erik-naggum-8459_alive_a-system-needs-to-be-alive-and-workable_3132116.png" --- # A system needs to be alive and workable even when other… ![“A system needs to be alive and workable even when other people than the first enthusiasts start using it. Reinvention and revolution are enthusiast stuff. Invention and evolution are engineering.” quote by Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e7/erik-naggum-8459_alive_a-system-needs-to-be-alive-and-workable_3132116.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e7/erik-naggum-8459_alive_a-system-needs-to-be-alive-and-workable_3132116.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e7/erik-naggum-8459_alive_a-system-needs-to-be-alive-and-workable_3132116.png) > “A system needs to be alive and workable even when other people than the first enthusiasts start using it. Reinvention and revolution are enthusiast stuff. Invention and evolution are engineering.” [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A system must remain functional and adaptable as it gains broader, less enthusiastic users; innovation differs from engineering. **In simple terms:** Systems need durability for all users. Key Takeaway Design for scalability and maintenance. Themes design engineering innovation scalability maintenance Mood analytical practical Type philosophical technical When to use this quote - product launches - open source projects - enterprise software - tech startups Key Concepts system lifecycle user adoption engineering discipline Questions to Reflect On - How do you ensure a system stays usable after the hype fades? - What balance is needed between innovation and engineering? A Different Perspective May underestimate early adopter bias. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) [Engineering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/engineering/) [Evolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolution/) [Innovation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovation/) [Invention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invention/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Reinvention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reinvention/) [Revolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revolution/) ## Related quotes > [“The Reinvention and Revolution of our Entrepreneurship and Leadership lays in the rebirth of our mind's eye.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anyaele-sam-chiyson/the-reinvention-and-revolution-of-our-entrepreneurship-and-leadership/) Anyaele Sam Chiyson > [There's nothing like evolution for engineering beautiful organisms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-arnold/there-s-nothing-like-evolution-for-engineering-beautiful-organisms/) [Frances Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-arnold/) > [In C++, reinvention is its own reward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/in-c-reinvention-is-its-own-reward/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) > [“The gray light washes over me again and gives me back everything that I was. Not everything. Eduardo Iron is dead like the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-silvera/the-gray-light-washes-over-me-again-and-gives-me-back-everything-that/) [Adam Silvera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-silvera/) > [I am honored to be able to serve GM at this critical juncture and take part in its reinvention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-whitacre-jr/i-am-honored-to-be-able-to-serve-gm-at-this-critical-juncture-and/) [Edward Whitacre, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-whitacre-jr/) > [“we take pictures and videos as love letters to our future selves - reminders of who we are, where we've been and what we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malebo-sephodi/we-take-pictures-and-videos-as-love-letters-to-our-future-selves/) [Malebo Sephodi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malebo-sephodi/) > [Women need to become literary criminals, break the literary laws and reinvent their own, because the established laws prevent women from presenting the reality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-acker/women-need-to-become-literary-criminals-break-the-literary-laws-and/) [Kathy Acker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-acker/) > [Ultimately, I made my range wider because I wanted to suit each publication that I worked for. Talk about reinvention - I'm like the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-testino/ultimately-i-made-my-range-wider-because-i-wanted-to-suit-each/) [Mario Testino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-testino/) > [Well, to me, the tensile strength and the very definition of an artist is something that I would place at the top of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-dyke-parks/well-to-me-the-tensile-strength-and-the-very-definition-of-an-artist/) [Van Dyke Parks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-dyke-parks/) > [There's definitely a pattern of great British shows that get reinvented in America and do really well here, but I think 'Torchwood' is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-pullman/there-s-definitely-a-pattern-of-great-british-shows-that-get/) [Bill Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-pullman/) > [“I used to think healing meant fixing yourself. But maybe it’s just about feeling yourself again. Messy. Leaky. Alive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bree-penfold/i-used-to-think-healing-meant-fixing-yourself-but-maybe-it-s-just/) [Bree Penfold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bree-penfold/) > [“New names cost. They’d sacrificed things in their transfigurations. Tyrell Meeks. Imani Greene. Razz. Deirdre. They’d carved open their histories and offered up their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-r-hughes/new-names-cost-they-d-sacrificed-things-in-their-transfigurations/) S.R. Hughes > [“In cocoon mode you are tapping into deep Mariana Trench energy and the Universe is helping make your destiny a reality. Whenever you make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-born/in-cocoon-mode-you-are-tapping-into-deep-mariana-trench-energy-and/) Dan Born > [At each point in our lives, we are at a crossroads. We are the fruit of our past and we are the architects of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthieu-ricard/at-each-point-in-our-lives-we-are-at-a-crossroads-we-are-the-fruit-of/) [Matthieu Ricard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthieu-ricard/) > [I believe that one defines oneself by reinvention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/i-believe-that-one-defines-oneself-by-reinvention/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) ## More by Erik Naggum > [Structure is nothing if it is all you got. Skeletons spook people if they try to walk around on their own. I really wonder…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/structure-is-nothing-if-it-is-all-you-got-skeletons-spook-people-if/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) > [The only important property of evils of the past is that they not be repeated in the future, in any way, shape, or form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/the-only-important-property-of-evils-of-the-past-is-that-they-not-be/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) > [Some people are little more than herd animals, flocking together whenever the world becomes uncomfortable … I am not one of those people. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/some-people-are-little-more-than-herd-animals-flocking-together/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) > [They don't make poles long enough for me want to touch Microsoft products, and I don't want any mass-marketed game-playing device or Windows appliance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/they-don-t-make-poles-long-enough-for-me-want-to-touch-microsoft/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) > [Ignoring for a moment the power of the American Medical Association, we still wouldn't see a huge amount of books on neurosurgery for dummies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/ignoring-for-a-moment-the-power-of-the-american-medical-association/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) > [I have actually programmed a fair bit in Perl, like I have C++ code published with my name on it. Other things I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/i-have-actually-programmed-a-fair-bit-in-perl-like-i-have-c-code/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) > [Part of any serious QA is removing Perl code the same way you go over a dilapidated building you inherit to remove chewing gum…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/part-of-any-serious-qa-is-removing-perl-code-the-same-way-you-go-over/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) > [I have a cat, so I know that when she digs her very sharp claws into my chest or stomach it's really a sign…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/i-have-a-cat-so-i-know-that-when-she-digs-her-very-sharp-claws-into/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) > [Constructing a social system that tends to those who agree with it is a piece of cake compared to constructing one that makes those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/constructing-a-social-system-that-tends-to-those-who-agree-with-it-is/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) > [If, however, one factor is too successful, it will continue to be the winning factor regardless of the variation in the other factors over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/if-however-one-factor-is-too-successful-it-will-continue-to-be-the/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) > [C++ is a language strongly optimized for liars and people who go by guesswork and ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/c-is-a-language-strongly-optimized-for-liars-and-people-who-go-by/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) > [Gotos aren't damnable to begin with. If you aren't smart enough to distinguish what's bad about some gotos from all gotos, goto hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/gotos-aren-t-damnable-to-begin-with-if-you-aren-t-smart-enough-to/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) > [I have come to believe that large print, thick and heavy paper, and wide margins and oversize leading is indicative of the expected intelligence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/i-have-come-to-believe-that-large-print-thick-and-heavy-paper-and/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) > [The fundamental deficiency in HTML is that it reduces hypertext and the intertwinedness of human communication to a question of how it is rendered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/the-fundamental-deficiency-in-html-is-that-it-reduces-hypertext-and/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) > [The currency in the developer community is enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/the-currency-in-the-developer-community-is-enthusiasm/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) [Explore all 80 Erik Naggum quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) ## More Alive quotes > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) Adam Ant > [I don't crave applause. I'm not one of those guys who comes alive on stage. I'm much more alive at home, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-don-t-crave-applause-i-m-not-one-of-those-guys-who-comes-alive-on/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [We must master our egoism, and through this mastery, step outside ourselves and educate ourselves in giving. Fasting requires that we rediscover all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/we-must-master-our-egoism-and-through-this-mastery-step-outside/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [I can't say that there are 'things' that make me come alive. There are thoughts that make me come alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-can-t-say-that-there-are-things-that-make-me-come-alive-there-are/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [We're like the wicked witch. We promise gingerbread, then eat the little brats alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/we-re-like-the-wicked-witch-we-promise-gingerbread-then-eat-the/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [If Jovan Belcher didn't possess a gun, he and Kasandra Perkins would both be alive today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-costas/if-jovan-belcher-didn-t-possess-a-gun-he-and-kasandra-perkins-would/) [Bob Costas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-costas/) > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [I think adoption becomes complicated whenever the biological parents are alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-haven/i-think-adoption-becomes-complicated-whenever-the-biological-parents/) [James Haven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-haven/) > [The pain of love is the pain of being alive. It is a perpetual wound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/the-pain-of-love-is-the-pain-of-being-alive-it-is-a-perpetual-wound/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [If Melanchthon were alive today, he might not weep because of controversies that surround the Lord's Supper, but he might well sorrow because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-w-lutzer/if-melanchthon-were-alive-today-he-might-not-weep-because-of/) [Erwin W. Lutzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-w-lutzer/) > [If you’re alive, don’t move, if you’re dead, don’t worry about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/if-you-re-alive-don-t-move-if-you-re-dead-don-t-worry-about-it/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [Here Greek and Roman find themselves alive along these crowded shelves; and Shakespeare treads again his stage, and Chaucer paints anew his age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/here-greek-and-roman-find-themselves-alive-along-these-crowded/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [You're alive!" Fezzik cried. The man in black sat immobile, like a ventriloquist's dummy, just his mouth moving. "That is perhaps the most childishly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-goldman/you-re-alive-fezzik-cried-the-man-in-black-sat-immobile-like-a/) [William Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-goldman/) [Browse all 7,282 Alive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A system needs to be alive and workable even when other people than the first enthusiasts start using it. Reinvention and revolution are enthusiast stuff. 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