From: Dave M. <mc...@ne...> - 2008-09-06 04:01:17
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On Sep 5, 2008, at 11:46 PM, Tim Stahlhut wrote: >> This is tickling a vague and disturbing memory. Maybe nine years >> ago, someone on the classiccmp list loudly made the absurd assertion >> that "only 5% of software development is writing code". I responded >> by stating that that person would never, ever work for me. Was that >> you? >> > If it was meant to be writing new code I would agree with it (5% of > software development). Because most of the time is spent in the > maintenance of software. Yes, I have to agree. :) But this was in the context of new code. > But, I personally think the water fall design model > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waterfall_model is NOT the best method of > design. > I have found Iterative and incremental development model(s) > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iterative_and_incremental_development to > work better. Same here. And the same goes with every other developer that I know, both professional and otherwise. Almost no software is written that way anymore, with good reason. > Almost no open source software is done using water fall design > model; I > believe the main cause of contention is that all design specs are not > done ahead of time as is done in the water fall design model. The same goes for commercial development. Even large development efforts have evolved toward the tight-cycle, iterative, modular development and testing methodology, as it has been shown to consistently produce much higher quality results in far shorter amounts of time, with fewer developer suicides. This is not a new idea as many assume; it dates back to the 1960s. The waterfall model is still used by a few organizations; those who tend to have practically unlimited budgets and employ development staff who hide behind procedures and documents to avoid actually being put on the spot by being required to...write code. -Dave -- Dave McGuire Port Charlotte, FL |