The Right Thing vs. Worse is Better

Richard P. Gabriel’s classic dichotomy contrasts two software philosophies: the “The Right Thing” (MIT approach) and “Worse is Better” (New Jersey approach).

The MIT philosophy demands correctness, completeness, and architectural consistency at all costs, even if the underlying implementation is inherently complex. In contrast, the New Jersey approach prioritizes simple implementation and rapid adoption over interface perfection.

In practice, pragmatic simplicity often outlives theoretical perfection. Software that is simple to implement, port, and deploy spreads faster, survives in the wild, and refines itself through real-world evolutionary pressure.