Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!crdgw1!ukulele!eaker
From: eaker@ukulele.crd.ge.com (Charles E Eaker)
Newsgroups: comp.software-eng
Subject: Re: Art vs. Engineering
Message-ID: <19669@crdgw1.crd.ge.com>
Date: 17 May 91 20:15:57 GMT
References: <1991May9.124559.2924@ssd.kodak.com> <4315@meaddata.meaddata.com> <1991May13.181826.18832@hellgate.utah.edu> <2996@odin.cs.hw.ac.uk>
Sender: news@crdgw1.crd.ge.com
Organization: General Electric Corporate R&D Center
Lines: 11

In article <2996@odin.cs.hw.ac.uk> styri@cs.hw.ac.uk (Yu No Hoo) writes:
>How about comparing the software craftsman to the old stonemason.

Take a look at Ken Follet's  "Pillars of the Earth". It's a wonderful
novel set in the 12th century and contains an enormous amount of detail
about the craft of cathedral building in the absence of an engineering
profession. Has some great examples of how rules of thumb such as
"To make it stronger, make it thicker," literally fall down.
--
Chuck Eaker / P.O. Box 8, K-1 3C12 / Schenectady, NY 12301 USA
eaker@crd.ge.com        eaker@crdgw1.UUCP       (518) 387-5964