Discipline Quote by Frederick P. Brooks Jr
““This really does attack essence. Because the build-on-package phenomenon does not today affect the average MIS programmer, it is not yet very visible to the software engineering discipline. Nevertheless, it will grow rapidly, because it does attack the essence of fashioning conceptual constructs. The shrink-wrapped package provides a big module of function, with an elaborate but proper interface, and its internal conceptual structure does not have to be designed at all. High-function software products such as Excel or 4th Dimension are big modules indeed, but they serve as known, documented, tested modules with which to build customized systems. Next-level application builders get richness of function, a shorter development time, a tested component, better documentation, and radically lower cost. The difficulty, of course, is that the shrink-wrapped software package is designed as a stand-alone entity whose functions and interfaces metaprogrammers cannot change. Moreover, and more seriously, shrink-wrapped package builders seemingly have little incentive to make their products suitable as modules in a larger system. I””
About This Quote
Source Article: The Mythical Man-Month, 1975
The rise of ready-made software modules changes how programmers work, offering speed and reliability but limiting flexibility and integration.
In simple terms: Pre‑built software speeds development but can be inflexible.
Key Takeaway
Balance reuse with design for integration.
Themes
software engineering
modularity
productivity
innovation
risk
Mood
cautious
optimistic
Type
analytical
pragmatic
When to use this quote
- enterprise application development
- custom software projects
- rapid prototyping
- system integration
- cost reduction
Key Concepts
component reuse
architectural constraints
ecosystem dynamics
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we design reusable components that remain adaptable?
- What incentives encourage vendors to support modular integration?
A Different Perspective
Modules may not adapt to unique system needs, creating integration challenges.
![“Lehman and Belady have studied the history of successive releases in a large operating system.[6] They find that the total number of modules increases linearly with release number, but that the number of modules affected increases exponentially with release number. All repairs tend to destroy the…” quote by Frederick P. Brooks Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/115/frederick-p-brooks-jr-11230_history_lehman-and-belady-have-studied-the-histo_145780.jpg)
