XIRTUS SYSTEMS RESEARCH GROUP FIG. P5 PRINCIPLE 5 OF 6

No Decorative Complexity

FEATURE PROPOSAL DEMONSTRATED PROBLEM? YES APPROVED better scheduler faster VFS path new syscall (solves real problem) NO REJECTED boot splash animations rounded corners color output MINIMAL SYSTEM only what is necessary · nothing more → /dev/null NO COSMETIC ENHANCEMENTS Note: This diagram itself is not part of the base system.

FIG. P5 — Feature gate diagram. Every proposed feature must pass through the "DEMONSTRATED PROBLEM?" gate. Features that solve a real operator problem proceed to the right (green path). Cosmetic enhancements — boot splashes, animations, rounded corners, colorized output — are rejected to the left (red path) and sent to /dev/null. The irony that this diagram exists on an elaborately styled website is not lost on us.

DESIGN CONSTRAINT: Features are added only when they solve a demonstrated problem for system operators. Cosmetic enhancements, animations, transparency effects, and graphical boot splashes are not part of the base system. The system's interface is text. Its documentation is manual pages. Its beauty is functional. See src/DESIGN_CONSTRAINTS.

See Also
DIAGRAM FIG. P5 / PRINCIPLE 5: NO DECORATIVE COMPLEXITY
LAMP NOMINAL HRS: 1,247