The article explores the concept of "finished" software, suggesting that while achieving it may be impractical for many projects, contemplating the characteristics of such software can yield valuable insights. It defines "finished" software as feature-complete, secure, and standalone, and illustrates this with examples ranging from the Nintendo Gameboy to small web applications. The author emphasizes the importance of understanding requirements, keeping scope small, reducing dependencies, and producing static output in the pursuit of creating finished software.

The article discusses the common misconception that dependencies are the root of programming problems, arguing instead that it's the way developers manage and interact with those dependencies that leads to issues. It emphasizes the importance of understanding the broader context in which dependencies operate and suggests strategies for better handling them to improve development practices.