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Removing Software Complexity

t482 writes "Charles Simonyi (ex Xerox Parc & Microsoft ) says that Software "has become a field where we focus on incremental improvements in processes. That course is futile, because it can never solve the problem of human imperfection." Even as software collapses under the weight of its own complexity, we've barely begun to exploit its potential to solve problems. The challenge, Simonyi believes, is to find a way to write programs that both programmers and users can actually read and comprehend. Simonyi's solution? To create programming tools that are so simple and powerful that the software nearly writes itself. "Software should be as easy to edit as a PowerPoint presentation," Simonyi asserts."

7 of 178 comments (clear)

  1. Next on Slashdot by kabocox · · Score: 1, Funny

    The self writing book report.

  2. Head in hands.... by Oddly_Drac · · Score: 3, Funny

    ...just for saying;

    "Software should be as easy to edit as a PowerPoint presentation,"

    Powerpoint is _evil_ and should be destroyed, and the ground that it rested on salted.

    --
    Oddly Draconis
    Too cynical to live, too stubborn to die.
  3. Software should be as easy to edit as a PowerPoint by cheezus · · Score: 3, Funny

    "Software should be as easy to edit as a PowerPoint presentation"

    oh great, now nearly every app is going to have a random ass ugly transtion between user interfaces, will use no fewer than 20 fonts, and have clipart everywhere. You will have to wait for each line of the EULA to slide, spiral, disolve or some other animation it's way onto the screen before you can click ok. Not only that, the application will surely present no other information than reading the bullet points to you.

    --
    /bin/fortune | slashdotsig.sh
  4. Correction by Haeleth · · Score: 2, Funny

    I thought AppleScript was basically Visual Cobol...

  5. Quote: "making the code look like the design" by idontgno · · Score: 2, Funny
    Hind's 7th Law of Computer Programs:

    Make it possible for programmers to write programs in English, and you will find that programmers cannot write in English.

    --
    Welcome to the Panopticon. Used to be a prison, now it's your home.
  6. Operating system in high-level language? Easy... by Black+Parrot · · Score: 2, Funny


    > Problem is that does anyone want to write an operating system in such a high level language, where the optimization is questionable?

    No problem...

    main(int argc, char *argv[]){
    operate(system,efficiently);
    }
    --
    Sheesh, evil *and* a jerk. -- Jade
  7. Re:But I like complexity by __past__ · · Score: 3, Funny

    But russian roulette is safe. And the chances to win are very high, too. I've never met anyone who lost, or was harmed in any way!