“It’s about the datagram” for software is an information ecosystem.
Or to show how foolishly we play this game, “it’s about the interface” for software is about usage experience.
Think about database queries: those aren't arbitrary limitations like road lines, they're expressions of what's logically possible within the system. When we model these constraints explicitly (using something like ASP), we discover they're not restrictions - they're revelations of the system's inherent nature.
This goes beyond datagrams or interfaces. It's about understanding that constraints aren't something we add to systems - they're what systems are. Every API you've ever used, every protocol you've implemented, every interface you've designed - they're all manifestations of underlying constraint spaces waiting to be discovered.
Would love to hear your thoughts on this perspective. Have you ever encountered a situation where what seemed like an arbitrary restriction actually revealed something fundamental about the problem you were solving?