Metcalfe's law
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network value grows with the square of the number of users.
Gall's law: Complex systems that work evolved from simpler systems that worked.
In context
Technology amplifies both capability and the cost of failure. Laws in this category reflect decades of experience with projects that overrun, systems that break at scale, and tools that behave in unexpected ways.
Editorial note
The classic formulation says a communications network becomes more valuable as more participants can connect, though real networks rarely follow a perfect square law.
Practical example: A team chat becomes more useful when all collaborating teams can join rather than only one department.
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