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Discussion on: Explain Required Downtime Like I'm Five

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Scott Tadman

The military has very expensive mid-flight refueling systems, planes full of jet fuel that act as gas stations for other planes. This means planes can keep flying continuously without having to periodically land to refuel.

This is similar to how large companies can seemingly do almost anything without downtime: huge engineering teams, specialized tools, plus lots of practice, training and discipline.

Smaller companies can’t afford teams like that. In a sense they do what ordinary people do: pull into the gas station to refuel, clean the windows, and check oil and tire pressures. Doing all of that while driving safely would be a lot harder and outrageously expensive for the average person.

Even a little downtime makes it a lot easier and cheaper to get things done.