A Change of Plan - Lauren Ipsum: A Story About Computer Science and Other Improbable Things - page 84

“The first version wasn't strong enough, and it fell down. So now I'm making a tower twice
as big, twice as thick, and twice as tall. Two times two times two is eight.”
“So it needs eight times as many bricks?” Laurie asked.
“It's just a matter of supplies.”
“How do you know this version of the plan will work?”
“We're not a bunch of amateurs, girlie. We do extensive testing of our algorithms,” Bruto
said. “Take a look at this!” Off to the side was a table covered with tiny turtles and tiny
bricks.
“Hey, they're building a tower, too!” Laurie exclaimed. Sure enough, the turtles were follow-
ing the same plan as their bigger cousins.
“We test new plans by building a scale model,” Bruto explained.
“But, Bruto, the model doesn't have the same extra stuff keeping the walls from falling
down.”
“Some problems only show up in the full size. When that happens, we have to adapt.”
“Oh,” Laurie said. “But if the model is not the same as the real thing, how can you be sure
that—”
They turned around just in time to see the full-size tower collapse into a big pile of bricks.
Bruto stood still for a long time, watching the dust settle as the turtles got to work cleaning
up the mess.
“Are you going to make it even bigger now?” Laurie asked.
“No. What we need . . . what we need . . . is a radical change of plan! All right, everyone,”
Bruto said to no one in particular. “Clear the decks! Empty your minds! Brainstorm! I want
new ideas!”
“ Let's make the walls four times as thick, but the tower only three times as high ,” said one
worker.
“ More supports inside and out! ” shouted another.
“ Use bigger bricks! ”
“ Make bricks out of steel! ”