Residuality Theory - First impression

I just finished the book Residues: Time, Change, and Uncertainty in Software Architecture. by Barry O’Reilly.

It made me think.

Right now I am thinking it is probably the most interesting book on software architecture and our profession as architects or leaders in software I have read in a long while. It made me recognise myself, challenges I have had and doubts I have held. More than anything it gave me an eagerness to try out what it describes.

This reminds me of when I first learned TDD more than twenty years ago. In that I imagine it will work similarly as a way to "get started" when faced with the vastness of (then design-) options, not get stuck in analysis paralysis. Especially the stress(or) testing and contagion analysis spoke to me as something that I have had problems articulating or repeating but having some kind of notion of in my head. Never had it expressed so clearly.

It also gave me - or at least reignited - hope for my continued curiosity for my profession. It is the most "hopeful" book about software development and software architecture as a profession I have read in a long while. Both in the way that it portrayed a reasoned, philosophically interesting idea about what software architecture can be and how it can continue to be FUN! It also made me feel... supported. Not sure if that is the right word. But I felt... not so alone, that there are both these "crazy" ideas left to explore and that there are so many established but ungrounded practices out there that I want to continue challenging.

Thank you Barry!