Interesting review of Patterns of Software by Richard Gabriel:

Gabriel’s concern about the adverse implications of applying abstraction in extremes, is an important example of McLuhan’s REVERSAL EFFECT. With every innovation, humanity has the proclivity to over-use it, whereupon the initial benefits begin to be offset by accumulating detriments. [–––]

In his last chapter, Gabriel proposes to overcome the excesses leading to the Reversal Effect with a philosophy of designed called WORSE-IS-BETTER [see also this], wherein incremental development leads to continuous but gradual improvement. What this amounts to, is a judicious combination of McLuhan’s other technological effects (Retrieval, Enhancement, and Obsolescence) to pre-empt the onset of Reversal.

I’m not sure I follow this completely, but it might be interesting to read some of McLuhan’s work. The reviewer (whoever this is; William Patterson Sheridan?) says that Gabriel’s reasoning ends in Alexander’s paradigm not being applicable to software development – something that I find a bit strange. Anyway, he continues:

[F]rom the description Gabriel provides, Alexander’s views on the phenomenology of “pattern languages” could benefit by an acquaintance with the findings in Frederick Turner’s book [Beauty: The Value of Values]. As well, Gabriel’s excursions into the social psychology and political economy of software development are interesting, but need some refinement in light of Subrata Dasgupta’s [Technology and Creativity], and Gary Taylor’s [Cultural Selection].