HN Explorer

Ask HN: What are some thought-terminating clichés in the software industry?

16 points by Austin_Conlon ↗ HN
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thought-terminating_cliché

35 comments

[ 3.7 ms ] story [ 81.6 ms ] thread
forgotmypw17
"Software development has become too complex to do it without third-party frameworks."
pestaa
It depends.
sgillen
I would say this does not have to be thought terminating.
anthorium
Really it depends.
Austin_Conlon
It’s a trade-off. Whether or not you qualify what it depends on.
imhoguy
It is opensource so if you need a fix do it yourself.
imhoguy
"It is best practice." or "It is industry standard."
[deleted]
(comment deleted)
tinus_hn
“It is required in enterprise”
shunmugarajb
Think holistically or You are not seeing the bigger picture
mk81
I don't think this is thought-terminating; unlikely to be the end of a discussion.
giantg2
In general I would agree. But I have seen this used by leaders, which tends to end the conversation because what they are actually saying is "I'm in charge and I know better than you". Your holistic view has to be the same as their holistic view or you're wrong.
austincheney
These are more like lies developers tell themselves out loud, but I have heard them frequently enough they may as well be cliches:

* You can’t write JavaScript without jQuery (this one is dying).

* You can’t write JavaScript without a framework. Doing so will just create a new framework.

* You can’t write applications or get hired without writing classes/inheritance.

* Security certifications are worthless for security hiring.

* JavaScript is slow.

* The DOM is slow.

* Virtual DOM is a web standard, not some unnecessary thing created for the React framework.

* Accessing the DOM without querySelectors is like writing assembly.

* Complaining about querySelector speed is premature optimization.

* I don’t need to performance test because my application is fast.

* WASM will replace JavaScript... any minute now.

* WASM will gain full DOM access to the containing page.

iudqnolq
Because it's harder and older it's better.
muzani
FAANG does it that way so it's best practice.

FAANG built the framework/language so it's going to be the market standard.

chas
"Use the right tool for the job"
AnimalMuppet
I'm going to disagree on this one. To me, this is telling you to think about which tool would be best. That's doesn't terminate thought; it demands thought.

(Unless someone is really saying "use the right tool for the job, and for this job the right tool is always X". That I can see as terminating thought.)

chas
I usually see it when people are comparing two tools and can't come to an agreement. In that context, I feel it ends up being tautological in a way that stops people from digging into the real differences that make something the right or wrong tool.
yen223
My objection to this phrase is that it is tautological. By definition, there's never a time when you should be using the wrong tool for the job!

It is good only if the phrase is followed by a discussion about why tool X is right for the job.

Melchizedek
”Responding to change over following a plan”
kaolinite
“Everything old is new again”.

Not always inaccurate, but often used to overlook nuance.

yamellasmallela
Lets make a spike for this

I swear to god if I hear one more "agile" buzzword from some washed out PM who has no reason to be employed....

So glad I don't work in devops or SWE

d--b
- “We’re going to try it our way and if it doesn’t work, we can always go back and do it your way”

- “That’s how the user wants it”

- “That’s how the boss wants it”

- “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”

- so called principles : KISS, DRY and so on

- “eval is evil”

- “early optimization is the root of all evil”

-

seattle_spring
Not specific to programming, but I've seen the thought terminating cliche "mansplaining" used more and more in the industry to completely dismiss a man's point of view.
andrei_says_
Oh, poor men explaining the obvious in loud authoritative voices, believing they’re experts on any topic after 5.3 seconds of consideration.

(I am a man)

seattle_spring
It's increasingly used to dismiss a man's perspective, regardless of if they're right and regardless of their tone.
weeska
"Use some common sense."
rthomas6
"Premature optimization is considered harmful", therefore, don't fix inefficient designs as long as they technically work.