Re: Principle of Least Power, "Motherhood and Apple Pie"

On 8/3/05, Bullard, Claude L (Len) <len.bullard@intergraph.com> wrote:
> 
> Far be it from me to dispute the articles of faith of
> such an eminent group of theologians.
> 
> Scale and the Principle of Least Power:  the notion that
> it would have been better to build the Great Pyramid out
> of mud bricks, to build a Space Shuttle out of Legos,
> and that we should all ride Mopeds to work on trails carved
> by oxcarts rather than cars on the US interstate system.
> 
> Engineers understand scale and have for a great many more
> years than there has been an Internet or a Tim Berners-Lee.

Engineers, at least the good engineers, also understand CTQ. 

"CTQs (Critical to Quality) are the key measurable characteristics 
 of a product or process whose performance standards or 
 specification limits must be met in order to satisfy the customer. 
 They align improvement or design efforts with customer requirements."[1]

[1] http://www.isixsigma.com/dictionary/Critical_To_Quality_-_CTQ-216.htm

Over-engineering is just as much of a problem as under-engineering.

When I am putting up sheetrock, I don't measure it to the 32nd of an inch. You
could, but it doesn't add to the quality, you're just going to tape
and mud those seams
anyway.  

   -joe

> 
> As for the rest, res ipsa loquitur.
> 
> len
> 
> 
> From: noah_mendelsohn@us.ibm.com [mailto:noah_mendelsohn@us.ibm.com]
> 
> Len Bullard writes:
> 
> > we know it was all for the sake of simplicity so
> > the codeheads whose brave, valiant fearless
> > efforts to make the world safer for stealing
> > (ooops... sharing) photos, songs, code, and cold
> > pizza could maybe get just a little more egoboo.
> 
> > I can stand the design lectures, but Dan, take the
> > credit and accept the blame.
> 
> I think that tying these concerns to the Principle of Least Power (PLP) is
> really unfair.
> 
> 


-- 
Joe Gregorio        http://bitworking.org

Received on Wednesday, 3 August 2005 14:55:58 UTC