This refers to the notion that often “something that seems normal or inevitable today began with a choice that made sense at a particular time in the past, but survived despite the eclipse of the justification for that choice.”

For instance, typewriters used to jam if people typed too fast, so the manufacturers designed a keyboard that would slow typists. We no longer have typewriters, but we are stuck with the letter arrangements of the qwerty keyboard.

When I suggest changing a technology that has been around for a while, I always argue that “it was the right decision at the time” but also that “it may no longer be the right decision”. I find this acknowledges the good work that had been done, while also giving those same people space to consider new approaches without being blamed for the old.

“Someone asked me where I get all my good ideas, explaining that it takes him a month or two to come up with one and I seem to have more than that. I asked him how many bad ideas he has every month. He paused and said, “none.”

And there, you see, is the problem.”

Sounds a lot like photography advise: the best way to get a good photograph, is to just take a lot of pictures.