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Serious question, what is the difference between software development and alchemy?

I guess alchemy eventually grew up and turned into chemistry. I really hope the same happens to dev but I’m not expecting it in my lifetime

Quite a lot of difference. Alchemy is science and software development is art

From my dictionary:

Alchemy: the medieval forerunner of chemistry, concerned with the transmutation of matter, in particular with attempts to convert base metals into gold or find a universal elixir.

Cool, so alchemy was like medieval chemistry! But I guess the motive was to make a quick buck by making gold! :)

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