Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!ccut!wnoc-tyo-news!sranha!srava!erik
From: erik@srava.sra.co.jp (Erik M. van der Poel)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.wizards
Subject: Re: file attributes
Message-ID: <1831@sranha.sra.co.jp>
Date: 30 Jun 91 11:42:13 GMT
Sender: news@sranha.sra.co.jp
Lines: 20
Nntp-Posting-Host: srava

Dick Dunn writes:
> How many times do we have to learn that the "waterfall model" for software
> development doesn't work, and that the mistakes it causes are dreadfully
> expensive?

OK, I see your point that it is important to develop software by
building prototypes and throwing them away if they are no good.

On the other hand, I think it is also important that we do not release
software to end-users until we are reasonably sure that the specs
won't change. End-users are hit hard by incompatible changes.

As always, we need to find a middle-of-the-road compromise.

How about trying to spec it out as much as possible, and then
implementing a few prototypes without letting end-users get their
hands on them?
-
-- 
EvdP