Friday Facts #346 - He who does nothing, breaks nothing

[badtouchatr]

well, the way posila was explaining the particular issues with the tiles, sounded like "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" to me --

The only way to make it a certainty that nothing would have broke would have been to do nothing. At times the proverb sounds like an advice...

i heard it a lot during my programming days, and the intention of the phrase was usually to mean pretty much was posila was describing. no matter, things can be interpreted in many ways, especially with proverbs or sayings between two languages.

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/if_it_ai ... 27t_fix_it

[posila]

I think the closest English phrase would probably be: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." But maybe someone else could correct me.

I think that's exactly opposite of what it's supposed to mean, but is often used with that meaning as an excuse not to do something. (or to joke around somebody not doing something they were supposed to do).

"You can't make an omelette without breaking eggs" is probably closer to the indended meaning. I tried to google it again and found following quote

“It's only those who do nothing that make no mistakes, I suppose.”
― Joseph Conrad, An Outcast of the Islands

The way I tried to explain it was that to make sure one dosn't break anything, one would have to do nothing (which is unreasonable because nothing would ever get done).

But then I tried to say that sometimes, interpreting the proverb as an advice and therefore to use it as an excuse to not do something is more convenient, but ultimatelly wrong, because that mindset is preventing things from beign done in order to avoid inconvenience.

I think, to make my point, I could have paraphrased it as "A feature that was not implemented can't have bugs."

[MakeItGraphic]

I think, to make my point, I could have paraphrase it as "Feature can't have bugs if it was not implemented."

This sounds like something you would learn in sex–ed.

[Pi-C]

I think, to make my point, I could have paraphrase it as "Feature can't have bugs if it was not implemented."

This sounds like something you would learn in sex–ed.

No, I certainly won't give in to the temptation to make a reply with your nickname in it!

[Ranger_Aurelien]

In Czech we have a saying for which I have not found English equivalent. "He who does nothing, breaks nothing."

I think the closest English phrase would probably be: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." But maybe someone else could correct me.

That suggests inaction.

I'd say "Nothing ventured, nothing gained" suggesting try.

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dic ... ing-gained

[badtouchatr]

i'm sorry i started all this with a simple observation. i've been proven incorrect. my bad.

[posila]

i'm sorry i started all this with a simple observation. i've been proven incorrect. my bad.

Well, I am little bit sad "If it ain't broken, don't fix it" might be what more people take away from the article ... but I guess it also doesn't really matter.

[plepper1]

Well, I am little bit sad "If it ain't broken, don't fix it" might be what more people take away from the article ... but I guess it also doesn't really matter.

That wasn't what I got out of it. I enjoyed hearing the progression of how it all came about. Thank you!