I’m curious how software can be created and evolve over time. I’m afraid that at some point, we’ll realize there are issues with the software we’re using that can only be remedied by massive changes or a complete rewrite.

Are there any instances of this happening? Where something is designed with a flaw that doesn’t get realized until much later, necessitating scrapping the whole thing and starting from scratch?

  • Björn Tantau@swg-empire.de
    1·
    8 months ago

    Happens all the time on Linux. The current instance would be the shift from X11 to Wayland.

    The first thing I noticed was when the audio system switched from OSS to ALSA.

    • Max-P@lemmy.max-p.me
      1·
      8 months ago

      And then ALSA to all those barely functional audio daemons to PulseAudio, and then again to PipeWire. That sure one took a few tries to figure out right.