“No User-Serviceable Parts Inside”

One of the strange things about software is that it’s very hard to understand it if you’re not a software developer. This is very different from our experience of mechanical devices.

For example, with a physical mechanism such as a tumble dryer or bicycle, anyone with the appropriate tools can dismantle it, manipulate the components and gain an understanding of how it works. With a bit more knowledge it’s possible to see why it may not be performing well, and with a bit more effort you might be able to fix it. When it can’t be fixed without special tools or components, the famous NUSPI (“No User-Serviceable Parts Inside”) sticker is whipped out.

Whenever a broken device contains a NUSPI, I’m tempted to open it up and see why – typically the inside of the device is a poorly engineered mess which is designed to be binned when it fails, and I think frequently the alternative meaning of the sticker is “don’t look inside this – it’s a mess!”.

So why is almost all software implicitly NUSPI? The user can’t even open it up and take a look, even if they can’t necessarily fix it.

I actually think it’s a shame that no-one can open up our software and see inside – well written software is a thing of beauty, and I’d be proud to let customers look at much of what we’ve developed. It would also allow customers to make informed judgements about the quality of engineering within the product they’re buying. The idea that a developer’s work would be on show would also encourage them to up their game.

So why does software always come with a NUSPI?