Some Things Just Take Time

Armin Ronacher reflects on how the obsession with speed in software development and startups is eroding the value of things that genuinely require time: trust, community, quality open source projects, and lasting relationships. He argues that friction in processes like compliance exists for good reasons, that AI-driven acceleration doesn't actually free up time but fills it with more output, and that the most valuable things — projects, communities, relationships — are built over years, not sprints. He draws a parallel to planting trees: no amount of tooling or speed can substitute for sustained commitment over time.