Architecture is a challenge built on techno trends
And many tough decision upon which a system bends.
So when I’m asked for my advice by strangers and by friends,
I look them squarely in the eye and answer, “It depends!”
Depends on what app server’s hot,
What the last SVP bought,
The foresnics of this system’s rot,
And other stuff that I forgot.
This project’s benediction —
Is it real or is it fiction?
I can take no firm position.
I am not a geek magician
Blessed with techno-precognition.
So I have no ammunition
For your big Enterprise mission.
I am just a politician
Who, waffling, contends:
“It’s architecture – it depends!”
Depends on who’s been talking smack,
Who has lots and lots of cash,
On who’s been drinking sour mash
Or maybe even smoking crack.
You want to know if you should build a data access bus
Or buy a turnkey product to ameliorate your fuss
But if you ask me what a systems guru recommends,
I’ll look you squarely in the eye and answer, “It depends!”
Depends on what’s your IDE,
Your build procedures currently
And what the process wonks defend.
Let’s just say it all depends.
Those Accenture guys will never leave! Their project never ends!
That code they wrote! I’d like to kill them! Them and all their friends!
You want me to clean up their mess, your disbelief suspends,
I’ll look you squarely in the eye and answer, “It depends!”
Will this pig scale?
It all depends!
This framework hale?
Depends!
Dot NET the Holy Grail?
Depends!
Executives in jail?
Depends!
Maintainable?
It just depends!
Explainable?
Depends!
Production ready?
Well, I’ll tell you
That in my best projection
Based on thorough and professional
Analysis and code dissection,
Testing that’s regressional,
Interviews confessional,
Demos very sleek,
With ducky-horsey Visio,
And Power Point technique,
And thirty six page writeup
Which to reputation lends
I’ll look you boldly in the eye
And tell you, “It depends!”
—
Dan Marcus (with apologies to John Vorhaus and his excellent book “Killer Poker”)
(reposted from the sad ashes of Posterous)
