This morning I was thinking on my drive down to Somertset, that if a car broke down anywhere near as often as a typical computer application, people would see it as an issue. Not just an issue that they could restart and forget, but an issue that would permanently stain their reputation with that auto manufacturer. Since people have learned to expect that computer applications crash occasionally, the problem is often overlooked and played down. However, the fact is that computer applications are running on a generic device, making them much akin to physical appliances, separate from the entity that hosts them. The lesson is that as programmers and professionals we need to start demanding the same reliability for our applications (especially mission-critical ones) that we expect from a diesel engine.

Instead of just fitting the model as it exists, expand beyond it and make something amazing.