Thanks to Dale Peterson and the whole #S4x24 staff and community for their support for an extremely important principle, something that we should all keep an eye out for and know when to identify and when to push back or challenge.

Perhaps another way of looking at this issue is the normalization of complexity. Most engineers have the KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) principle hammered in to them from their very first internship job. But many software and network design firms seem to live by the principle of "putting things on top of other things" (yes, I am referring to that Monty Python sketch). When making the transition from basic pneumatic and electromechanical controls to software, and DCS/SCADA, we slid toward very significant complexity. A case study on how bad this can get can be found in a 2013 case of Bookout v. Toyota, where the Engine Controls could cause unintended acceleration. We haven't learned much since then. We're still putting things on top of other things. Maybe it is time to discuss limits.

@marcoayala6263

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Jake - I like it and a fan of Monty Python. The court case you mention is just one of many but definitely highlights the unintended risks we are subject to. Fixing digital problems with digital solutions in the principle of "putting things on top of other things" reminds me of a quote from Albert Einstein "We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used to create them" or something to that effect.. Dr. Trevor Kletz if alive today might be very vocal in this topic today...