Software Development Best Practices

i want to make software that feels like magic. i want to make software that is useful, to many people; that is valuable, that makes sense. but that's also surprising, pleasant, funny. i want to make software is serious and makes sense but is also silly and doesn't.

Bill Gates on Microsoft's "hard-core detractors" December 4, 1993

4 requirements for building good software - understanding of user value - taste - ability to execute - willingness to keep grinding until it is valuable and good/tasteful

I’ve been sitting on a weird epic ramble about Etsy homepages from the middle 2000’s for the better part of 15 years now so I figured I would write it up as a thread 1/