Hacker News Reader

Humorous, but relevant. PHP and Wordpress are derided by many, perhaps rightfully so. Despite many well founded claims against them they remain ubiquitous.

Which metric do we use to define success here? Can shitty software be considered successful just because everyone uses it?

View on HN

People don't buy a drill, they buy a hole in the wall.

People don't buy the best most perfect fancy publishing platform, they buy something that lets them publish their content and move on with their lives.

I think the success is pretty self-evident?

Where can you buy holes for your wall?! "People don't want a drill they want a hole in the wall."

Sorry for pedantry, but think it helps with the metaphor.

You're right - that was pedantry.

It definitely helps, thanks.

People have built businesses thanks to that shitty software, important news have been broken by tech unsavvy bloggers that created a website very easily thanks to the platform, hordes of youngsters approached programming writing a shitty Wordpress plugin... You would still call that a failure just because it doesn't use elegant software according to the standards of a community of professional that never come to terms with its hindering perfectionism?

Reply on news.ycombinator.com