Seb Rose gave a presentation on different levels of abstraction in software development. He discussed the history from machine code to modern IDEs and tools like no-code/low-code platforms. While abstraction aims to reduce complexity, too much can ignore real issues. No-code/low-code solutions are attractive for speed and non-specialists but still require expertise. AI/ML are tools that may help certain domains if complexity is not oversimplified. The right level depends on goals and challenges of each problem.

2. No code, low code, machine code
Seb Rose
Twitter:
@sebrose
Blog:
https://cucumber.io/blog/
E-mail:
seb.rose@smartbear.com
What level of abstraction is “just right”?

3. @sebrose
Agenda
A brief history
Abstraction
The Last One
Goals and pitfalls
AI and ML
Takeaways
Slides available now at:
https://bit.ly/seb-qaatl-21

4. @sebrose
Agenda
A brief history
Abstraction
The Last One
Goals and pitfalls
AI and ML
Takeaways
Slides available now at:
https://bit.ly/seb-qaatl-21

5. @sebrose
TedColes, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Hardware

6. @sebrose
Machine code to assembler
https://www.di
ff
erencebetween.com/di
ff
erence-between-machine-language-and-vs-assembly-language/

7. @sebrose
IDE magic - VSCode
https://blog.terresquall.com/2020/11/
fi
xing-visual-studios-intellisense-autocomplete-in-unity/

8. @sebrose
https://youtu.be/b_TK4YMSXIU
Low code - OutSystems

9. @sebrose
No code - WordPress

10. @sebrose
Can you think of
THREE reasons
why no code / low code
is so attractive to businesses?

11. @sebrose
Agenda
A brief history
Abstraction
The Last One
Goals and pitfalls
AI and ML
Takeaways
Slides available now at:
https://bit.ly/seb-qaatl-21

12. @sebrose
the process of removing physical, spatial, or
temporal details or attributes in the study of
objects or systems to focus attention on
details of greater importance;
Abstraction
it is similar in nature to the process of
generalisation
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abstraction_(computer_science)

13. @sebrose
Abstraction
Abstraction
is
EVIL!
Jim Coplien (“Cope”)
ACCU 2000
In most object
oriented design, most
abstraction is evil. It is an excuse to
ignore things we don't want to deal
with even though we should.
https://www.artima.com/forums/
fl
at.jsp?
forum=106&thread=6771

14. @sebrose
Abstraction tames complexity
Accidental complexity …
can be simpli
fi
ed by a new idea, design,
Essential complexity …
can’t be simpli
fi
ed OR loses value when it is

15. @sebrose
Agenda
A brief history
Abstraction
The Last One
Goals and pitfalls
AI and ML
Takeaways
Slides available now at:
https://bit.ly/seb-qaatl-21

16. @sebrose
The Last One (TLO)
February
1981
“At last - the
end of
programming
especially
if it’s about
the future.
Nils Bohr
https://teblog.typepad.com/david_tebbutt/2007/07/the-last-one-pe.html
Prediction
is very
di
ffi
cult

17. @sebrose
What was the problem?
https://research.aimultiple.com/low-code/

18. @sebrose
Agenda
A brief history
Abstraction
The Last One
Goals and pitfalls
AI and ML
Takeaways
Slides available now at:
https://bit.ly/seb-qaatl-21

19. @sebrose
Goals
Misalignment of business & IT -
put the business in control
Shortage of developers -
no need for specialist developers
Time-to-market & speed -
automation & component reuse
BETTER
FASTER
CHEAPER

20. @sebrose
Code generation

21. @sebrose
Con
fi
guration
https://wordpress.org/plugins/cf7-conditional-
fi
elds/

22. @sebrose
Troubleshooting

23. @sebrose
[TLO] not only worked (eventually) but,
for donkey's years, its publisher made
money out of a consulting business
wrapped around the software.
https://teblog.typepad.com/david_tebbutt/2007/07/the-last-one-pe.html
Consultancy

24. @sebrose
Pitfalls
Misalignment of business & IT -
still a need for IT domain expertise
Time-to-market & speed -
delays for customisation & troubleshooting
Shortage of developers -
lack of even more specialist consultants

25. @sebrose
Agenda
A brief history
Abstraction
The Last One
Goals and pitfalls
AI and ML
Takeaways
Slides available now at:
https://bit.ly/seb-qaatl-21

26. @sebrose
AI and ML to the rescue?
Arti
fi
cial
Intelligence
Machine
Learning

27. @sebrose https://www.amazon.co.uk/Atlas-AI-Kate-Crawford/dp/0300209576
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/jun/06/microsofts-kate-crawford-ai-is-neither-arti
fi
cial-nor-intelligent
AI and ML - tools not solutions

28. @sebrose
Takeaways
Better, faster,
cheaper for
limited domains
only
Improved
collaboration enables
effective
specialisation
AI/ML are tools
not solutions
Essential
complexity
should not be
simpli
fi
ed
[Abstraction] is similar in nature to
the process of generalisation

29. Seb Rose
Twitter:
@sebrose
Blog:
https://cucumber.io/blog/
E-mail:
seb.rose@smartbear.com
http://bddbooks.com