Complex rules lead to stupid applications

Pragmatic Programmer, Andrew Hunt on complexity

Simple rules … lead to complex behavior. Complex rules, as with the tax law in most countries, lead to stupid behavior. ... The harder we tighten things down, the less room there is for a creative, emergent solution. Whether it�s locking down requirements before they are well understood or prematurely optimizing code, or inventing complex navigation and workflow scenarios before letting end users play with the system, the result is the same: an overly complicated, stupid system instead of a clean, elegant system that harnesses emergence.

This last pararaph reminds me of a certain Java Framework. You can build some basic applications with it if you stick to some complex lifecycle. Just don’t try anything ‘out of the ordinary’ like using the back button.