But why does it take so long?

The original book could take three years to write. Retyping the manuscript might take a day or two.

Modern work isn’t time-consuming because it takes a long time to type.

Physical constraints aren’t usually the gating factor, either. It’s not a physical speed limit that holds us back.

It might be:

Coordinating the work of many people often leads to slack and downtime.

Persuading others to go along with our ideas requires clarity, persistence and time.

Pathfinding our way to the right answer isn’t always obvious and takes guts.

The first thing we try rarely works, and testing can take a long time to organize.

Persuading ourselves to move forward can take even longer.

A coordinated, committed group with a plan for continuous testing and improvement can run circles around a disorganized group of frightened dilettantes.