Wirth's Revenge
jmoiron.net
February 5, 2026
14 min read
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58/100
Summary
Niklaus Wirth's 1995 essay "A Plea for Lean Software" critiques the software industry's inefficiencies, coining Wirth's Law: software is becoming slower at a rate faster than hardware improves. Wirth reflects on the simplicity of interactive text editors from 25 years prior compared to modern software complexity.
Key Takeaways
- Wirth's Law states that software is becoming slower at a faster rate than hardware is becoming faster, necessitating significantly more resources for modern software compared to earlier systems.
- Input latency has increased since the 1980s due to the added complexity of modern software handling input, despite advancements in hardware.
- The requirements for running an internet company have become significantly more complex since 1995, with expectations for high availability and scalability that were not present in the early days of the web.
- Wirth's focus on software efficiency overlooks the social value of modern features that enhance accessibility for users.
Community Sentiment
Positives
- LLMs can be incredibly powerful tools when used effectively, suggesting that proper training and understanding can unlock their full potential.
Concerns
- Many developers exhibit laziness in application development, leading to unnecessary latency issues that could be avoided with better practices.
- Users often settle for slower results, indicating a lack of urgency in optimizing AI performance, which could hinder advancements in real-time applications.
- The reliance on bloated software like VS Code, which consumes excessive resources, reflects a broader issue of inefficiency in modern development practices.
