Hacker Newsnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

It's the same sort of thing, parts obsolescence. The world around you changes and the interfaces you used to interact with the world may not exist anymore. Your dependencies may have been abandoned and have gone through their own bitrot.

I think the best defence is to choose a platform that has longevity, like x86 Linux, and then seriously limit dependencies beyond the platform to the point of maybe not having any extra dependencies.

The problem is eventually platforms change too. The longest lasting platform for software ever created is x86 + BIOS which lasted from 1981 to 2020 when Intel officially deprecated BIOS.



Consider applying for YC's Fall 2026 batch! Applications are open till July 27.

Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: