Foreword

This book is built upon all the books I have put together before this one, one rising on the foundations of the next, leaping ahead to build the new just as we build everything new upon the foundations of the old.

As humans we simply cannot know everything ahead of time, and an educated guess, or theory, is just that: based upon what we already think we know.

There comes a time when we can no longer rely upon what has gone before us as much as we would like, and face the inevitability of change. Change we are uncomfortable with and would rather not bother with, although it is completely necessary.

To organize the pillars on which the book stands we use three connected concepts: Direction or Vector, Shape or Geometry, and Cost or Thermodynamics.

From here on in this book every time these are mentioned they will stand more simply. "Direction, Shape, Thermodynamics."

These are laid out in advance so the reader can see the overall pattern in advance. We apply terms from systems architecture before defining the system we are designing. However it is better to have a brief map to go by rather than begin with no map at all.

We begin by presupposing that there is a system, a system with an architecture which is both awaiting discovery and awaiting our ability to fill in the blanks.

We borrow a technique which allows us to begin to appreciate a shape, direction and energy costs before all the dimensions are known.

This is what humankind has been doing for many thousands of years, drawing maps as guides — not as definitive truth — but as a guide to the territory we shall be walking.