Building Codes Analogy

Yes, via building/construction codes.

Let's compare to building (this is in the UK, but I think most countries have similar rules).If someone asks you to build a house, you need to make a plan, and get it signed off. There are lots of rules on what you can, and can't do.If you build a house without cement, by just piling bricks up, you will get fined and be told to take it down and build it again. If that house you badly built falls down and kills someone, you go to jail.

Let's not act like houses would be built properly without these regulations

You shouldn't be talking to people on Hacker News. You should be talking to construction firms, inspectors, etc..

Talk about an abuse of building codes.

I don't know that op chooses her words super carefully, but I read it as being like only carpenters should be able to choose how they build houses. That's pretty reasonable, especially when you consider there's also housing codes (something software engineering probably needs to work on).

This happens in construction too. Architect/engineer sign off on a design, the "no education" guy swinging the hammer has to make adjustments in the field to get it to actually work.

Don't assume we're all girdled by (presumably) US building codes.

That sounds like building inspectors in the US. They vary widely in competence, but all will ensure the permit fees are paid and property taxes raised; most will ensure the work is done to code; approximately none will ensure the work is built to plan details.

Well, rigor and quality in building industry are location dependent. I've read a blog of a builder who describes how architects regularly produce dangerous (too thin or just simply missing load-bearing beams) or straight up impossible (gable of negative size, yep) designs. The solution is that the builders just build whatever makes sense and sometimes the contractors simply don't notice.