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This is funny, but I think it misstates the real problem. This is what would really happen: King: "Make me a toaster." Software developer: makes toaster King

This is funny, but I think it misstates the real problem. This is what would really happen: King: "Make me a toaster." Software developer: makes toaster King: "Okay, that's great, but could you also make it scramble eggs? It should just be a small change, right?" Software developer: adds egg scrambling module King: "Actually, could the eggs be soft boiled instead?" etc. In other words, OO and other programming abstractions arose precisely because we actually do need to deal with changing requirements, all the time.

muaddirac 11y ago
I enjoyed reading it - it's amusing and some of it resonates with my experiences. ...But I don't think it's great satire, for the reasons you point out.
macNchz 11y ago
>"Actually, could . . . instead?" A phrase that so very often tests the self control, patience and will to live of software developers around the world.
- sanderjd 11y ago
  > "Actually, could . . . also?" Is the bigger problem. When I hear "instead", I think, "oh good, we can delete a bunch of stuff we don't need anymore", but when I hear "also", I think, "oh crap, not only do we need to add stuff, we need to make the existing stuff more flexible".
- HeyLaughingBoy 11y ago
  Eh. My answer to that question is usually. "Yes, as long as you're willing to pay for it." I'm not a consultant. "Payment" comes in many flavors.
vonmoltke 11y ago
This happens all the time in all engineering projects. Generally, if the requirements change that drastically in the middle of the project then either the initial requirements were terrible or the requested change is just a bad idea. Many an engineering project has been sabotaged because someone tried to force a bad change into the middle. I could go on all day just with examples from the Pentagon.
mannykannot 11y ago
But the EE can start over and still finish earlier - and deliver toast in the interim.

muaddirac 11y ago

I enjoyed reading it - it's amusing and some of it resonates with my experiences. ...But I don't think it's great satire, for the reasons you point out.

macNchz 11y ago

>"Actually, could . . . instead?" A phrase that so very often tests the self control, patience and will to live of software developers around the world.

sanderjd 11y ago
> "Actually, could . . . also?" Is the bigger problem. When I hear "instead", I think, "oh good, we can delete a bunch of stuff we don't need anymore", but when I hear "also", I think, "oh crap, not only do we need to add stuff, we need to make the existing stuff more flexible".
HeyLaughingBoy 11y ago
Eh. My answer to that question is usually. "Yes, as long as you're willing to pay for it." I'm not a consultant. "Payment" comes in many flavors.

vonmoltke 11y ago

This happens all the time in all engineering projects. Generally, if the requirements change that drastically in the middle of the project then either the initial requirements were terrible or the requested change is just a bad idea. Many an engineering project has been sabotaged because someone tried to force a bad change into the middle. I could go on all day just with examples from the Pentagon.

mannykannot 11y ago

But the EE can start over and still finish earlier - and deliver toast in the interim.