
Moria and Rivendell
As software continues to eat the world, modern software development is flourishing and evolving in a variety of domains: web and cloud applications, industrial automation, embedded systems, gaming and graphics, scientific and high-performance computing, enterprise systems. My company, Opreto, does most of its work across the first two of these domains, and thrives in their differences. To contrast the respective development methodologies and practices of web and cloud software and industrial software, I will compare them to Rivendell and the Mines of Moria in The Lord of the Rings. Rivendell: The World of Modern Web Development Rivendell is a place of fluidity, wisdom, and continuous refinement. It is an open, evolving environment where ideas and knowledge flow freely. The Elves who reside there are deeply invested in the preservation of beauty and the ongoing pursuit of perfection, yet they are adaptable and forward-thinking. This reflects the nature of modern software developmen...