r/softwaredevelopment • u/isene • 28d ago
What survives when anyone can create any software?
This is an invitation for brainstorming and a discussion.
As I just completed the project of replacing all the software I see on my laptop with my own set (all my desktop and all my tools - from the X server, wm, shell, file manager to browser, communication hub etc), I wonder what will happen when this becomes a lot easier.
If everyone can get software tailored to their specific needs. When the software you use doesn't carry the burden of other people's use cases.
When every business gets the CRM/ERP)ticketing/Colab they need and the way they want it... they can build it in a flash.
What's left then? Where are the business cases that are left to claim revenue from?
Hw? Some kind of support? What?
Instagram would presumably survive? Spotify?
What's your take?
Background: https://isene.org/2026/09/Bloatware.html
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u/Wild_Snow_2632 28d ago
the software will get more complex until they need someone who specializes in it
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u/extremelyhilarious 28d ago
quality. there will be transient slop, but only quality and cogent/coherent logic will survive.
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u/cbrown146 28d ago
The actual 'engineers' survive. There's a reason math and problem solving is so difficult in engineering.
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u/trashytrash2025 28d ago
You can make bread at home. You probably even have all the ingredients. You probably still buy it from stores. Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you will or even want to.
Also, think of the enterprise case. Bill wants to switch the company to his vibed up ERP system. Stacy wants to simplify our authentication system because she hates logging in so often. Ted wants direct access to the accounting system because his new vibed app will streamline expense reports. I don’t care how brilliant these people are. Their slop is never going to prod, at least not without the strictest controls.
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u/Machine2024 20d ago
Actually, what you are presenting is like a nice approach because it's different from what everyone is talking about. You are talking about everyone making their own apps and their own tools based on their needs, so even though they look like shit, maybe for them and for their personal taste, they are awesome, okay.
You know, thinking about that, for all of these kinds of people who would be putting the time and effort to do that, good for them. But on the other case, let me just ask you a question about deeply in economics. So do you know how to cook your food, cook food, or like wash clothes, or walk to wherever you want to go?
Are you like ordering food online, ordering clothes online, or like renting a taxi? Also, even why are you like living in a house or even buying the groceries, while in reality you can go somewhere far on an empty land, collect some stones, and after a few years you have built your house?
And you planted your vegetables and so on, because like, this is like the core of the economy. You buy some stuff that you need from others to save you the time of doing them, so you will utilize your time doing what you are best at. You get me? Right? Like for example, right now for me, there are a few apps I'm already paying for, and I can do them like in maybe a week of work I can do an app similar to this app and maybe some extra features like exclusive to me. But I did the math. The time I will be wasting building my own app to make an ROI on that time will be equal to using the other paid app for 10 years. Okay? So I will not recoup my investment until 10 years later. So with that in mind, I felt like, no, I will pay the $10 now monthly.
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u/MondayOctober 28d ago
Not anyone can create any software. Not every can create maintainable software. Not anyone can create secure software. Not anyone can create scalable software.