# On Long Term Software Development

DevFeed: [On Long Term Software Development](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/on-long-term-software-development-36504.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://berthub.eu/articles/posts/on-long-term-software-development/>)

Published: 2024-12-22T17:00:00Z

Content type: opinion

Language: en

Sources: [Bert Hubert's writings](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/bert-hubert-s-writings.md>)

Topics: [Development](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/development.md>), [Software](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/software.md>), [Open Source](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/open-source.md>), [CI/CD](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/cicd.md>), [Programming](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/programming.md>), [Framework](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/framework.md>), [Esolang](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/esolang.md>)

Tags: [ci](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/ci.md>), [continuous-deployment](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/continuous-deployment.md>), [continuous-integration](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/continuous-integration.md>), [dependencies](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/dependencies.md>), [development](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/development.md>), [framework](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/framework.md>), [mastodon](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/mastodon.md>), [open-source](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/open-source.md>), [programming](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/programming.md>), [programming-languages](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/programming-languages.md>), [software](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/software.md>)

## AI overview

An opinion article reflecting on long-term software development through a talk about the Dutch Electoral Board's open-source Abacus vote tabulation software. It contrasts continuously deployed, heavily tested services with safety-critical software that must remain stable for decades, and discusses dependencies, programming languages, and frameworks as long-term design choices.

## Source excerpt

Recently the Dutch Electoral Board (where I am also a very part time advisor) invited me to do a talk reflecting on their open source Abacus vote tabulation software. Much software is now provided as a service, and is typically deployed continuously (CD, continuous deployment), surrounded by enough automated testing (CI, continuous integration) that we can be reasonably sure that a new revision is likely to at least work to some extent.