Paradoxically in SW development complex things often appear because it's easier (simpler) to 'just add this check here' instead of rethinking (and remaking) previous solution with updated understanding.

'We'll fix this later, now just make it work'

It takes more effort to make things simple than to make them complex.

> Paradoxically in SW development complex things often appear because it's easier (simpler) to 'just add this check here' instead of rethinking (and remaking) previous solution with updated understanding.

I think the issue is actually deeper than that. To start off, the definition of complexity that's used is often partial and incomplete, leaving out entire domains where complexity manifests itself.

So it's often easy to make swooping statements about what is complex and what is simple, because what appears to be simple is actually offloading the bulk of the complexity somewhere else.

Take for example CICD pipelines. They can be very complete, thorough and complex. You can shave off part of that complexity by doing manual work. Do you get a simpler system if you replace a pipeline with manual work? No, you get a system that's far more complex, unreliable, and brittle. So how come no system is more complex than introducing a system? Where does the complexity lie?

I don't think that's paradoxically, that's just the reality that changing a little thing is easier then considering all cases the code has to handle and figure out a solution which addresses all

What's paradoxically imo is that often - when someone does decide to remake it in their vision... It's usually isn't improved - heck it's often even more complicated after the refactor.

The other day there was a guy here on being mad about my program/code being simple.

bro, like what? if i can make living from simple things why will i complicate it? It just seems some people complicate things to justify their pay which later becomes difficult for their organization to maintain.

No wonder the guy was not accepted at FAANG where code maintainability is utmost priority.