airplane rule ==>
aeroplane rule
<convention> "Complexity increases the possibility of failure; a
twin-engine aeroplane has twice as many engine problems as a single-engine
aeroplane."
By analogy, in both software and electronics, the implication is that simplicity
increases robustness and that the right way to build reliable systems is to put
all your eggs in one basket, after making sure that you've built a really *good*
basket.
While simplicity is a useful design goal, and twin-engine aeroplanes do have
twice as many engine problems, the analogy is almost entirely bogus. Commercial
passenger aircraft are required to have at least two engines (on different wings
or nacelles) so that the aeroplane can land safely if one engine fails. As
Albert Einstein said, "Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not
simpler".
See also KISS Principle.
(1999-03-22)
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