The core of what I do is solve problems, whether that's in graphic engine flow or rockets. I like working on things that are going to have an impact one way or the other.
John CarmackRead
The cost of adding a feature isn't just the time it takes to code it. The cost also includes the addition of an obstacle to future expansion. ... The trick is to pick the features that don't fight each other.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Adding new features has hidden costs that can hinder future development.
In software development, each new feature taken on can complicate code structure and vision, affecting future enhancements. John Carmack emphasizes the importance of selecting features that will harmonize with one another, rather than create barriers, ensuring a robust and flexible software architecture.
Themes
FeaturesDevelopmentSoftwareExpansionGrowth
In practice
Example use cases
In a team meeting discussing the new software project, one might say, 'As John Carmack pointed out, we need to consider the cost of adding features carefully.'
More from John Carmack
All quotes →Sharing the code just seems like The Right Thing to Do. It costs us rather little, but it benefits a lot of people in sometimes very significant ways. There are many university research projects, proof of concept publisher demos, and new platform test beds that have leveraged the code. Free software that people value adds wealth to the world.
John CarmackRead
Low-level programming is good for the programmer's soul.
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Because of the nature of Moore's law, anything that an extremely clever graphics programmer can do at one point can be replicated by a merely competent programmer some number of years later.
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Programming is not a zero-sum game. Teaching something to a fellow programmer doesn't take it away from you. I'm happy to share what I can, because I'm in it for the love of programming.
John CarmackRead
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