In the BBC documentary series 'Connections' technical innovations build on
one another over time. New capabilities create new possibilities, new
challenges, and new needs. This pattern also applies to the evolution of
software engineering, where changes in software engineering practices
are often driven by changes in underlying technologies. For example, the
practice of frequent compiling and testing of code was a legacy of the post-punchcard era
in the 1980s. When dedicated desktop compilers increased the
convenience of compilation, it became easier for engineers to compile
and test more frequently, which then became a common practice.