Evolution happens. All the time. Evolution is sloooow. And it is easy to adjust to evolution. You have to change (yourself, your behaviour, your habit). But just a little bit. Maybe tomorrow a little bit, too. But that is not a problem. Because evolutionary change happens so slowly that even the most “retracted person” is able to follow.

And evolution improves the current state with minimal side effects and disadvantages.

Micro-Evolution

It is an easy step to upgrade your IDE. Eclipse 3.5 SR1 has been released? Just download and install that version. Some paranoid guys will just sit and wait a few days/weeks, and maybe run a few tests. But then they will update easily (and be happy).

Sun releases a bugfix version of the JDK? Propably a drop-in replacement.

Local Maximum

The big step?

Evolution is great to find the local maximums without big risks. Small improvements are great. And they will improve technology. But evolution is not able to take the big step. The big step that vanquishes the current limits.

Sometimes revolution is necessary

To really improve technology it is necessary to take that big step. Sometimes it is necessary to introduce a new way things work. And to break limits everyone has accepted as God-given.

Breaking those limits opens wide space for major improvement. But is is not free. It takes a considerable amount of time and effort.  But the outcome is worth it…

Breaking the limits is hard

It is hard to break those limits. We have grown up with them. We respected them every day. We adjusted our workflows. We adjusted our mindset. And suddenly, we have to realize that we fooled ourselves for years…

Looking foolish

Mahatma Gandhi summarizes about his revolution:

First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.

Those that fight the revolution too long, look crestfallen at the end. But – more important in our context of technology – they have lost a lot of time and opportunities. And it will take a big effort to catch up with those who have recognized the new possibilities earlier.

Be warned…

Some of the most intelligent and successfull people on that planet missed the biggest revolutions related to technology. Just think of Bill Gates and his first thoughts about that “Internet thing”…

To be continued…