"The Great Pyramids took decades to build. It was a monumental feat of human ingenuity and collaboration. Today, we software developers erect our own pyramids each day - not from stone, but from code. Yet despite far more advanced tools, these systems don't always make the experience better. So why, when KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) is a well-known mantra, do we keep gravitating toward complexity?"
"Marketing > Simplicity Sell me this pen: ✎ What? You don't know how? Okay, instead, sell me this Penzilla - a pen that can erase, write in different colors, play music, dial 911, act as a radio antenna, and even help you cheat on your homework. In the software world, how would you sell a competitor to the cat command? Sounds insane, right? It's so simple - why would anyone compete with it, let alone build an alternative? (Let's pretend Rust coreutils don't exist.)"
Building complex software mirrors constructing monumental pyramids: significant effort produces large systems that do not always improve user experience. The KISS principle is clear, yet products grow complex due to market incentives and hype. Feature-stuffed offerings like a hypothetical Penzilla or catzilla attract attention and curiosity through social proof and events. Complexity signals effort, expertise, and exclusivity, creating awe when users fail to understand a system. Marketers, engineers, and startups exploit complexity to make products feel premium. Ultimately, complexity becomes a status symbol rather than a necessity, and value depends on what is placed inside.
Read at Kyrylo Silin
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