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by singleshot_ 1044 days ago
> In software it's rather clear

In software, I perceive there to be almost no separation whatsoever between design and use. I’m using windows 11 right now, and sometime in the next few days it will silently download software patches that were designed over the last few days to address situations not considered in the original design of windows 11. Software goes back and forth from the design process to active use pretty much continuously these days.

Just an alternate perspective to think about.

1 comments

I don't think that's the case, or all of the case.

Windows might download patches and update components but the core OS design, is there for over 15 or more years, and ditto for most of the userland, when it doesn't go back to Windows NT times..

I completely agree with you insofaras parts of the design probably go back to NT. SBut some of the design won’t happen until next week. My interpretation of this is that the design process starts before use and continues until the end of the support lifecycle. I agree that there are some components that we think have been completely designed… but there might be a bug tomorrow in a “core” part of the OS that would require more design, and I don’t think this would surprise anyone if it happened.

I’m not saying necessarily that it’s continuous design, simply that we might return to the design phase at any time.