# A Parable

## srenner@mail.ru — 2000-05-08 18:50:18

    In the beginning there was nothing but shallow water. Then a

    great crocodile appeared and began thrashing his tail. He made the

    water deeper in some places. In other places he heaped up enough mud

    to form the land, which was

    still very damp and muddy.

            The first men had nothing to eat but frogs, which tasted like

    mud, except crunchier. They build their dwellings out of what they

    had: mud. When it dried it had some strength (in compression). A hut

    had to be built with care, or else it would crumble.

            Gradually more and more things happened. The crocodile was

    long gone, and new materials appeared, plexiglass and wood and steel.

    And the men said to each other: "It is not appropriate that our

    dwellings be made of mud when there better things to make them of. We

    will build new hovels. Naturally, the foundations and loadbearing

    walls thereof shall be of mud, but we shall hide the mud with painted

    wood and polished steel, even on the

    inside, which we shall reveal with plexiglass."

            This made a huge difference to the appearance of the dwellings

    of men. Now they were arrayed like the lilies of the field. But they

    were still made of mud where it counted. And when the men tried to

    build an apartment complex or an office tower, it always collapsed.

    Key

    Dwelling        Software system (from OS on up)

    Mud             C

## iepos@tunes.org — 2000-05-08 19:07:06

    > Key

    >

    > Dwelling        Software system (from OS on up)

    > Mud             C

     I take it from this you aren't too fond of C ... :-)

    - iepos (Brent Kerby)