97 Things Every Software Architect Should Know

Chapter 81. Choose Your Weapons Carefully, Relinquish Them Reluctantly

Chad LaVigne is a solutions architect and technical hired gun for Baltimore-based TEKSystems, Inc. He works primarily in the Minneapolis area designing and implementing solutions utilizing Enterprise Java technologies.

—Chad LaVigne

AS SEASONED VETERANS of software design and implementation, all architects are armed with an array of weapons they've used with repeated success. For one reason or another, these technologies have found favor and bubbled to the top of our list of preferred solutions. Most likely they've earned their rightful place in your arsenal by defeating fierce competition. Despite this, a barrage of new technologies constantly threatens their position. We are often compelled to lay down our weapons of choice for these new alternatives, but don't be too quick to dismiss your trusty armaments. To cast them aside for alternatives that haven't been proven through similar trials is a risky proposition.

This doesn't mean that, once established on our list of favorites, a technology is granted infinite tenure and it certainly doesn't mean that you can bury your head in the sand and ignore advancements in software development. For each technology, a time will come when it needs to be replaced. Technology moves quickly, and superior solutions are on the way. As architects we need to stay abreast of industry ...