Progress needs Trailblazers

I got the idea for this stream-of-consciousness (and possibly Captain Obvious) post after reading some comments regarding new ways to do high speed I/O. Not something boring like faster media or protocols, but rather far more exotic approaches that require drastically rewriting applications to get the maximum benefits of radically different architectures.

The comments, in essence, stated that such advancements would be an utter waste of time since 99% of customers have absolutely no need for such exotica, but rather just need cheap, easy, reliable stuff, and can barely afford to buy infrastructure to begin with, let alone custom-code applications to get every last microsecond of latency out of gear.

Why Trailblazers Matter

It’s an interesting balancing game: There’s a group of people that want progress and innovation at all costs, and another group of people that think the status quo is OK, or maybe just give me cheaper/easier/more reliable and I’m happy.

Both groups are needed, like Yin and Yang.

The risk-averse are needed because without them it would all devolve into chaos.

But without people willing to take risks and do seemingly crazy and expensive things, progress would simply be much harder.

Imagine if the people that prevailed were the ones that thought trepanning and the balancing of humours was state-of-the-art medicine and needed no further advancements. Perchance the invention of MRI machines might have taken longer?

What if traditional planes were deemed sufficient, would a daring endeavor like the SR-71 have been undertaken?

Advanced Tech Filters Down to the Masses

It’s interesting how the crazy, expensive and “unnecessary” eventually manages to become part of everyday life. Think of such commonplace technologies like:

• ABS brakes
• SSDs
• 4K TVs
• High speed networking
• Smartphones
• Virtualization
• Having more than 640KB of RAM in a PC

They all initially cost a ton of money and/or were impractical for everyday use (the first ABS brakes were in planes!)

What is Impractical or Expensive Now Will be Normal Tomorrow…

…but not every new tech will make it. Which is perfectly normal.

• Rewriting apps to take advantage of things like containers, microservices and fast object storage? It will slowly happen. Most customers can simply wait for the app vendors to do it.
• In-memory databases? Not a niche any more, when even the ubiquitous SQL Server is doing it…
• Using advanced and crazy fast byte-addressable NVDIMM in storage solutions? Some mainstream vendors like Nimble and Microsoft are already doing it. Others are working on some really interesting implementations.
• AI, predictive analytics, machine learning? Already happening and providing huge value (for example Nimble’s InfoSight).

Don’t Belittle the Risk Takers!

Even if you think the crazy stuff some people are working on isn’t a fit for you, don’t belittle it. It can be challenging to hold your anger, I understand, especially when the people working on crazy stuff are pushing their viewpoint as if it will change the world.

Because you never know, it just might.

If you don’t agree — get out of the way, or, even better, help find a better way.

Just Because it’s New to You Doesn’t Mean it’s Really New, or Risky

Beware of turning into an IT Luddite.

Just because you aren’t using a certain technology, but many others are, and reaping far more benefits than you with your current tech, then maybe they’re onto something… :)

At what point does your resistance to change become a competitive disadvantage?

Stagnation is Death

…or, at a minimum, boring. Τα πάντα ρει, as Heraclitus said. I, for one, am looking forward to the amazing innovations coming our way, and actively participate in trying to make them come to fruition faster.

What will you do?

D