Looking forward to reading your book.

> I imagine that what they did was “hard” in its own way — just not in the specific way that Dreaming in Code explores.

Then the software doesn’t actually do “something new” in the sense that Chandler or Vista aimed to do, right? That’s important, because it means there may be other insta-hit services possible if entrepreneurs can only figure out how to combine existing parts to make them attractive and contagious.

Conversely, it would be cool if you could whip up a short list of “hard” software that succeeded without the Long Slog documented in your book. Has it happened? Often? Or is major software innovation impossible to schedule without a lot of luck? This was the big question I came away from the book with.

Yours,
Paul

The link (to a funny piece by John Darnielle about musicians who argue with the music critics) was just meant as shorthand explanation for why, most of the time, it’s bad form for a writer (or actor, or musician, or anyone who’s put something out to the media for review) to argue with a *critic.* I spent years writing reviews, so I know this one from both sides of the fence. The recent example of the New Republic critic Lee Siegel — who took to posting retorts to his critics on his blog using fake names — is instructive, too.

If there’s a factual error to correct — or, as in this case, a direct question to be answered — fine. But when someone criticizes your work, well, what are you gonna say? The discussion almost unavoidably devolves into a pissing match. Better just to let the work speak for itself.

This must be an exciting time for you. I can’t imagine standing on the sidelines. Have fun with it!