Why do we even *have* that lever?  — The Emperor’s New Groove

There are two things about technology that infuriate me – The Good Idea Fairy, and kruft.

The Good Idea Fairy is the mythical being that causes normally rational and logical engineers and programmers to go off on flights of fancy.  His work usually begins by whispering in their ear “Wouldn’t it be cool if…..”.  Then, requirements be damned, things that are usually either awesomely neat or completely useless start sprouting off of the side of projects.

Kruft is the stuff that used to be important, but has been overtaken by business requirements and new technology.  It’s like your system has a vestigial tail that’s still taking up precious resources.  These are worse than being a waste, because you still have to maintain them.  If it’s a bridge, this could be the pedestrian lane that needs to be made wheelchair accessible, even if nobody walks on the bridge anymore because it’s not safe.  If it’s software, it’s a dependence on an old protocol that’s insecure and is written in a language that only people who qualify for Social Security know how to effectively code.

Either one of these showing up in a project are enough to have me pulling out what remains of my hair.  Both showing up makes me regret the demise of the two-martini lunch.