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@lzg The concept of a software archaeologist ripples around in Vernor Vinge's A Fire Upon The Deep / Deepness In The Sky. Generations-old systems layered atop each other that work, but require specialists who can dig through sedimentary layers of architecture and history when new needs arise…

Jack Jackson

@eaton I've heard this claimed repeatedly, and it intrigued me so much that I read the first book almost-entirely off the back of that claim.

So far as I could tell, it was mentioned once, in passing, in the prologue? I expected it to be a *way* more central concept given how much people talk it up. Is it more relevant in the sequel?

@scubbo it's definitely a much bigger part of the sequel, or at least that work is much more important to the central character's story. Things like the strategic importance of having unearthed admin backdoors to internal utilities are critical, etc.

@scubbo Even in that book, though, the mechanics aren't as central as the idea of the thing — that time was invested and many years were spent developing the strategic advantage, and it's integrated enough in characters' stories that it feels earned, even if the grunt work of that type of archaeology generally happens off-screen, so to speak