KISS principle is misunderstood as a universal sledgehammer. In reality, it's more of a precision tool. Rebecca Wirfs-Brock's recent insights about the complexity of seeking definitive answers perfectly illustrate this challenge. 1/7 - ThreadSky

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kkreft.bsky.social • 86 days ago

KISS principle is misunderstood as a universal sledgehammer. In reality, it's more of a precision tool. Rebecca Wirfs-Brock's recent insights about the complexity of seeking definitive answers perfectly illustrate this challenge.
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kkreft.bsky.social•86 days ago

Just as she argues that not every problem demands absolute exactitude, we must recognise that oversimplifying complex, non-deterministic systems is a dangerous trap. Binary thinking fails us when we encounter nuanced problems or complex decision-making processes.
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kkreft.bsky.social•86 days ago

The real art of engineering lies not in forcing simplicity, but in embracing complexity with probabilistic thinking.
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kkreft.bsky.social•86 days ago

Instead of seeking definitive, black-and-white answers, we learn to navigate the rich landscape of 'likely,' 'possible,' and 'context-dependent.'

Consider her example of user authentication: Is a 99.76% true acceptance rate 'good enough'?
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kkreft.bsky.social•86 days ago

Or the 24 people out of 10,000 who might be incorrectly excluded? These are not just technical questions, but strategic decisions about acceptable trade-offs. Simplicity is a guide, not a gospel.
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kkreft.bsky.social•86 days ago

The most powerful engineering insights emerge when we're willing to sit with complexity, challenge our binary assumptions, and embrace the beautiful uncertainty of problem-solving.
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kkreft.bsky.social•86 days ago

After all, in engineering as in life, the dose makes the poison, and wisdom lies in knowing exactly how much simplification is just right. Read Rebecca's blogpost: https://wirfs-brock.com/rebecca/blog/2024/11/14/
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