Computer System Design Principles

Robustness principle

 - Be tolerant of inputs, strict on outputs.

End-to-end argument

- The application knows best.

Open design principle

- Let the world comment on the design; you need all the help you can get.

Incommensurate scaling rule

- Changing any parameter by a factor of ten usually requires a new design.

Design for iteration

- Becuase you won't get it right the first time.

Keep digging principle

- When something goes wrong, look beyond the first cause. There are nearly always several reasons.

Principle of diminishing returns

- To increase utilization requires effort that is out of proportion.

Reuse principle

In reusing a good idea, it is better to specialize than to generalize.

Adopt sweeping simplifications

- So you can see what you are doing.

Stay back from the edge of the cliff

- Safety margins help cope with uncertainties.

Beware of excessive generality

- If it is good for everything it is good for nothing. (Hammer's law).

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