Never Touch a Running System
Phrase · Slang & Abbreviations
Definitions
A more defensive cousin of 'if it ain't broke,' used when fear of disruption makes people reluctant to change a live system. In engineering slang, the phrase can protect stability or shelter dangerous stagnation depending on context.
In plain English: A saying warning against changing live systems that currently appear to be working.
Example: "The ops team had lived by 'never touch a running system' for so long that even obvious security updates faced resistance until leadership reset the risk calculus."