This is a classic look at fragility versus optimization, much like what Nassim Taleb writes about.
A lot of his charts to demonstrate this concept (that the more "optimized" something becomes, the more fragile it becomes) look like the ones from this article. For example: http://bit.ly/sKM7B0
I'll try to find more images. Taleb's writing looks at this general concept in great detail across almost everything; in the context of business, basically what Joel says is right on the money. Great article.
By the way, I think I'd prefer running a small biz to an Amazon or Wal Mart. You?
Comments
This is a classic look at fragility versus optimization, much like what Nassim Taleb writes about.
A lot of his charts to demonstrate this concept (that the more "optimized" something becomes, the more fragile it becomes) look like the ones from this article. For example: http://bit.ly/sKM7B0
I'll try to find more images. Taleb's writing looks at this general concept in great detail across almost everything; in the context of business, basically what Joel says is right on the money. Great article.
By the way, I think I'd prefer running a small biz to an Amazon or Wal Mart. You?