Unlimited future downside? Really? I would like to know on which context this is possible.
I don't know in which context the writer is writing, I'm a developer and have been mostly working on startup-style projects. If you fail, you don't make a buck, the product does not work or does not sell. The downside is the lost time and money.
I have also known couple of startups, which have had really good engineers who have invested lots to testing, maintainability etc. In the end however the business hasn't succeeded selling the product, and all that investment was worth essentially nothing.
I don't know in which context the writer is writing, I'm a developer and have been mostly working on startup-style projects. If you fail, you don't make a buck, the product does not work or does not sell. The downside is the lost time and money.
I have also known couple of startups, which have had really good engineers who have invested lots to testing, maintainability etc. In the end however the business hasn't succeeded selling the product, and all that investment was worth essentially nothing.