Non‑Performant Software and the Incentives That Sustain It

The article examines why software that performs poorly remains in use. It identifies economic incentives that reward low‑efficiency code. The author discusses how short‑term cost savings can outweigh long‑term performance gains. The piece notes that maintenance contracts often favor existing, suboptimal solutions. It points out that developers may lack motivation to refactor inefficient code. The article highlights market pressures that discourage performance improvements. It suggests that changing incentive structures could promote more efficient software. The author calls for industry stakeholders to reassess value metrics.