Computers Quote by Frederick P. Brooks Jr
““Radically better software robustness and productivity are to be had only by moving up a level, and making programs by the composition of modules, or objects. An especially promising trend is the use of mass-market packages as the platforms on which richer and more customized products are built. A truck-tracking system is built on a shrink-wrapped database and communications package; so is a student information system. The want ads in computer magazines offer hundreds of Hypercard stacks and customized templates for Excel, dozens of special functions in Pascal for MiniCad or functions in AutoLisp for AutoCad.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Mythical Man-Month, Frederick P. Brooks Jr., 1975
Software quality and efficiency improve when developers use higher‑level, reusable components rather than building everything from scratch.
In simple terms: Build on existing modules for better software.
Key Takeaway
Leverage existing platforms and libraries.
Themes
modularity
productivity
software engineering
Mood
pragmatic
analytical
Type
technical
instructional
When to use this quote
- enterprise system development
- custom business apps
- rapid prototyping
- integration projects
Key Concepts
abstraction
component reuse
platform ecosystems
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you balance reuse with the need for custom performance?
- When should you build versus buy a component?
A Different Perspective
Higher‑level components may hide performance bottlenecks or limit flexibility.
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