Kagi is not VC funded, yet we have code that is sub-optimal, a ton of bugs and odd performance issues here and there. Knowing what I know about software development, I do not think this is avoidable, regardless of the source of funding or size of the company. It is a factor of complexity of the software, resources available and incentives in place.
What we can do though, that perhaps VC funded companies can not as easilly, is alocate time to refactor code and deal with tech debt. In fact that is what we are currently doing and we basically pulled a handbreak on all new feature developement for 45 days to deal with our main tech issues. Ability to do this requires a long term thinking horizon. Very difficult to make that kind of investment if you expect to get acquired next year and tech debt becomes somebody else's problem.
Also worth noting, as long as the product is being actively developed it will aways have new bugs and issues. 'Perfect code' is achieveable only in a closed context scenario, where new features are not added any more. (which randomly bring this weird thought to my head, that the only human that does not do any mistakes any more is a dead one; perfection in human actions is only achieved in the absence of life... ok need to stop there)
> which randomly bring this weird thought to my head, that the only human that does not do any mistakes any more is a dead one; perfection in human actions is only achieved in the absence of life... ok need to stop there
Love a good philosophical tangent! Wish you expanded :)
What we can do though, that perhaps VC funded companies can not as easilly, is alocate time to refactor code and deal with tech debt. In fact that is what we are currently doing and we basically pulled a handbreak on all new feature developement for 45 days to deal with our main tech issues. Ability to do this requires a long term thinking horizon. Very difficult to make that kind of investment if you expect to get acquired next year and tech debt becomes somebody else's problem.
Also worth noting, as long as the product is being actively developed it will aways have new bugs and issues. 'Perfect code' is achieveable only in a closed context scenario, where new features are not added any more. (which randomly bring this weird thought to my head, that the only human that does not do any mistakes any more is a dead one; perfection in human actions is only achieved in the absence of life... ok need to stop there)