Program life cycle

Software does not appear over the wave of a magic wand. A beautiful package contains not only a disc with an installer and a manual, it does not bear the imprint of a complex process, which we describe below:

1. The programmer writes the code, and I am sure that it does not contain errors.

2. Product tested. Found 20 errors.
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3. The programmer eliminates 10 errors and explains to testers that the remaining 10 are not really errors.

4. The testing department finds that 5 improvements are incorrect and detects 15 new errors.

5. See 3.

6. See 4.

7. See 5.

8. See 6.

9. See 7.

10. See 8.

11. Under pressure from the marketing department and due to an unreasonably early release date, the product is still being released.

12. Users find 137 new errors.

13. The developer, who has long received a fee, does not get in touch.

14. A team of new programmers is being sought. Almost all 137 errors are eliminated, but 456 new ones are introduced.

15. The first developer sends a postcard from Fiji to the testing department. All testers who have long felt they are underpaid are leaving.

16. The company is absorbed by a competitor using profits from the release of its latest program, which also had 783 errors.

17. The new manager starts to work. He hires a programmer to re-program from scratch.

18. The programmer writes the code, and I am sure that it contains no errors ...