starship-design: Software cycle

[kgstar@most.fw.hac.com (Kelly Starks x7066 MS 10-39)]

Software doesn't just appear on the shelves by magic. That program
shink-wrapped
inside the box along with the indecipherable manual and 12-paragraph
disclaimer
notice actually came to you by way of an elaborate
path, through the most rigid quality control on the planet. Here, shared for
the
first time with the general public, are the inside details of the
program development cycle:

1. Programmer produces code he believes is bug-free.
2. Product is tested. 20 bugs are found.
3. Programmer fixes 10 of the bugs and explains to the testing department
   that the other 10 aren't really bugs.
4. Testing department finds that five of the fixes didn't work and
   discovers 15 new bugs.
5. See 3.
6. See 4.
7. See 5.
8. See 6.
9. See 7.
10. See 8.
11. Due to marketing pressure and an extremely pre-mature product
   announcement based on over-optimistic programming schedule, the
   product is released.
12. Users find 137 new bugs.
13. Original programmer, having cashed his royalty check, is nowhere to
   be found.
14. Newly-assembled programming team fixes almost all of the 137 bugs,
   but introduce 456 new ones.
15. Original programmer sends underpaid testing department a postcard
   from Fiji. Entire testing department quits.
16. Company is bought in a hostile takeover by competitor using profits
  from their latest release, which had 783 bugs.
17. New CEO is brought in by board of directors. He hires programmer to
   redo program from scratch.
18. Programmer produces code he believes is bug-free.
19. See step 2


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Kelly Starks                    Phone: (219) 429-7066    Fax: (219) 429-6859
Sr. Systems Engineer                                     Mail Stop: 10-39
Hughes defense Communications
1010 Production Road, Fort Wayne, IN 46808-4106
Email:  kgstar@most.fw.hac.com
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