Software Laws

Use software laws as prompts for judgment, not as automatic verdicts. Read the complete reference when exact wording, context, attribution, or sources matter.

Method

1. State the outcome, project constraints, current evidence, and decision to make.
2. Select only laws that describe a relevant force. Translate each one into a concrete risk or prediction.
3. Identify competing forces. State which concern controls this decision and why.
4. Inspect the repository and actual usage. Measure or run the smallest useful test when a claim is uncertain.
5. Choose the simplest complete action supported by the evidence. Record the tradeoff and the signal that would justify revisiting it.

Planning and Scope