Solving Wrong Problems

Commenters argue that projects, tools, or decisions are addressing the wrong problems, optimizing suboptimal metrics, or using workarounds instead of fixing root causes in software development and engineering.

➡️ Stable 0.6x Other
3,557
Comments
20
Years Active
5
Top Authors
#2513
Topic ID

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Keywords

tbray.org GAS REASON EFT XP DS LOL wrong cause xp wrong thing cycle actionable fix classic calculating root cause

Sample Comments

HeyLaughingBoy Aug 31, 2022 View on HN

Shhh! People don't like being told that they're solving the wrong problem.

dekhn Sep 27, 2023 View on HN

Ah yes, a variant of the "Why don't you just..." (insert trivial, wrong solution to hard problem here)

brookst May 27, 2025 View on HN

“I’m pretty sure they’re doing it wrong but can’t be bothered to figure out a better way” is not super persuasive.

otibom May 18, 2013 View on HN

Oh yes, the classic "people won't understand that so let's go with the bad solution".

vanderZwan Sep 28, 2023 View on HN

It's not a whataboutism, it's an "optimize the right problem first" remark.

Clubber Aug 10, 2017 View on HN

You're conflating what the smart thing to do is with what's actually done. :)

p_j_w Aug 29, 2025 View on HN

People like to do a lot of not well justified hand waving. Author is not exempt from this.

0xdeadbeefbabe Nov 20, 2015 View on HN

It would be a shame if you are only making some things easier to reason about instead of everything.

k-mcgrady Jan 30, 2014 View on HN

How about not fucking things up in the first place? It's stupid to cause an unnecessary problem because one day we might have a solution.

maxklein Sep 16, 2008 View on HN

You're making a classic mistake. People are telling you problems, and instead of trying to solve them, you're justifying the reasons. Classic fail.