Legacy software is often seen as something negative. Wiktionary has a depressing definition of a computer system that has been in service for many years and that a business still relies upon, even though it is becoming expensive or difficult to maintain
. I have never liked that definition, because obviously if you keep investing in something for many years, it must be bringing some value to you. As Woody Zuill pointed out to me when I met him recently, the original definition of legacy is much more positive: Continue reading
Legacy systems, a definition
When we want to replace software systems, we often start calling them legacy systems. Sometimes we call legacy after we have made the decision to switch. Sometimes legacy is used as a pejorative to precipitate change. Keep reading for a discussion on a definition of legacy systems.
