AEROPLANE RULE
\ˈe͡əɹəplˌe͡ɪn ɹˈuːl], \ˈeəɹəplˌeɪn ɹˈuːl], \ˈeə_ɹ_ə_p_l_ˌeɪ_n ɹ_ˈuː_l]\
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"Complexity increases the possibility of failure;a twin-engine aeroplane has twice as many engine problems as asingle-engine aeroplane."By analogy, in both software and electronics, the implicationis that simplicity increases robustness and that the right wayto build reliable systems is to put all your eggs in onebasket, after making sure that you've built a really *good*basket.While simplicity is a useful design goal, and twin-engineaeroplanes do have twice as many engine problems, the analogyis almost entirely bogus. Commercial passenger aircraft arerequired to have at least two engines (on different wings ornacelles) so that the aeroplane can land safely if one enginefails. As Albert Einstein said, "Everything should be made assimple as possible, but not simpler".See also KISS Principle.
By Denis Howe