BigBallOfMud

While much attention has been focused on high-level software architectural patterns, what is, in effect, the de-facto standard software architecture is seldom discussed. This paper examines this most frequently deployed of software architectures: the BIG BALL OF MUD. A BIG BALL OF MUD is a casually, even haphazardly, structured system. Its organization, if one can call it that, is dictated more by expediency than design. Yet, its enduring popularity cannot merely be indicative of a general disregard for architecture. [Big Ball of Mud]

I hit on this paper several years ago by accident in searching for some mud goodies. I was struck by how well they had captured much of what I saw in the world of commercial systems, and moreso how well it also described many of the popular mud server codebases. I think it's aptly titled. Presented here for your amusement or enlightenment.