Published addenda

Arguments, read a second time.

Each piece starts with an existing article and adds the context, limitation, correction or alternative interpretation it needs.

Responding to Joel on Software

Never Rewrite From Scratch Is Too Absolute

Old code preserves hard-won behavior, but it can also preserve unsafe platforms and obsolete contracts; the real asset is verified knowledge, not every implementation.

Responding to First Round Review

A Hundred Startup Maxims Are Not a Decision System

Memorable advice can prompt reflection, but stripped of company stage, alternatives, and failure cases, contradictory startup maxims can justify almost any decision.

Responding to Entrepreneur

The Founder Bottleneck Is Not a Subconscious Software Problem

Micromanagement may reflect founder anxiety, but vague authority, punished mistakes, and concentrated information explain dependency more directly than identity metaphors do.

Responding to Asana

The Leader-Manager Split Makes Power Disappear

Vision and inspiration sound nobler than operations, but managers exercise consequential authority while informal leaders are often handed responsibility without power.

Responding to The Tim Ferriss Show

Startup or Cash-Flow Business Is the Wrong First Question

Financing labels should follow the mechanics of customer value, cash timing, control, and personal exposure—not define the company before those facts are known.