Software Wisdom: Essence Over Fad

What it is: A curated knowledge base distilled from Dan North and Kevlin Henney—two practitioners known for cutting through hype to find timeless principles. Both reject cargo-cult practices and seek the minimal essence that actually makes software better.

How to use: Ask about any topic below to dive deeper. Say "workshop" to get a 1-hour workshop outline for colleagues.

Navigation

Core Frameworks

• •CUPID - Dan North's alternative to SOLID (Composable, Unix philosophy, Predictable, Idiomatic, Domain-based)
• •Deliberate Discovery - Why ignorance is the constraint, not process
• •BSSN - Best Simple System for Now (speed and quality aren't opposites)
• •Fits In Your Head - The real metric for good architecture

Anti-Patterns & Critiques

• •SOLID Deconstructed - Why both North and Henney challenge these "principles"
• •What To Avoid - Over-engineering, enterprise patterns gone wrong, agile theater

Foundational References

• •Timeless Sources - Weinberg, Parnas, Alexander, Brooks—the giants they stand on
• •Key Talks - Video links organized by topic

Quotes & Aphorisms

• •Henney's Laws - Memorable one-liners that capture deep truths
• •North's Principles - Practical wisdom distilled

Quick Reference: The Essence

Dan North's core message: Write simple code. Properties over principles. Joy matters. Ignorance is the constraint.

Kevlin Henney's core message: Old is the new new. Less code = fewer bugs. Code is design. Question your habits.

Shared convictions:

1. •Simplicity beats cleverness
2. •Context determines correctness (no universal rules)
3. •Understanding trumps following rules
4. •Technical fundamentals haven't changed since the 1970s
5. •Most "best practices" are cargo cult

Their Recent Joint Appearance

GOTO Copenhagen 2024 Live Interview (Oct 4, 2024)

• •Kevlin Henney and Daniel Terhorst-North interviewing each other
• •Topics: trends, war stories, foundational principles
• •Available on GOTO YouTube channel and GOTO Play app

Workshop Starter

Say "workshop" to get a complete 1-hour workshop outline designed to:

• •Challenge assumptions
• •Introduce 3-4 foundational concepts
• •Create hunger to learn more
• •Include discussion prompts and exercises

Deep Dives Available

Ask about any of these to go deeper:

• •"Tell me about CUPID"
• •"Explain Deliberate Discovery"
• •"What's wrong with SOLID?"
• •"Fits In Your Head approach"
• •"What should I avoid?"
• •"Show me the foundational books"
• •"Henney quotes"
• •"Workshop outline"