The Fast-Track Philosophy

The fast-track philosophy is very much about mitigating a chasm between advanced capability, and a perceived chaos of freedom. Perhaps one might reference the book: "The Cathedral and the Bazaar" do discuss this chasm. I don't know if that really fully embodies the issue per se, but I think it is related.

The fast-track philosophy is about fast-tracking a set of technical methods of software development and augmentation under a chosen umbrella, or a software system - not as much about focusing on resultant features.

According to this philosophy, fast-tracking one set of tools ideally does not exclude the freedom of using other tools. The more gateways left ajar for other tools to be used, the better.

But still fast-tracking is called fast-tracking, because it is about narrowing in on a consolidated set of tools, old and new, and enhancing their usability far beyond other tools. This is what sets it apart. It is also about fast-tracking the purposes of those tools to fill in places that do not yet exist.

A Complex Design Philosophy

Fast-tracking is more complex than a general software design philosophy. It is not about simply consolidating tools to exploit their benefits, or about making some things easier. It is not about one particular way of doing things. It is a balancing act that exists specifically within the context of values and goals of free and open source software. What this means is that fast-tracking specifically as a philosophy is very concerned with the hows of these goals just as much as the goals themselves. It is how they manage to attempt to accommodate the goals and values of free and open source software that is important.

A design philosophy like this is about keeping track of many ways that the software can be better or worse in a reality where you cannot objectively have all these things at the same time, or in the same proportions all the time. Design can morph and shifted according to each moment of change in contextual resources and demands. Adhering to a philosophy is sometimes about whether or not you're going closer to it, rather than a strict form of accountability.

Attempting to carry out such a design philosophy is like a balancing act, and an art form.