Time (is on my side)

Sometime you realize how disconnected you are from someone else's reality only when it hits you in the face.
Following is a word for word transcript of a totally fictitious conversation...

- I don't understand, why should we start the standup at 10:00 sharp?
- Because it is the time everyone is already in, why is it a problem?, we can make it 10:15 if it is too early.
- No, if it is exactly on time, than if I start something before that, I have to cut whatever I am doing for the standup
- Yes, but you can plan your time, don't start anything big before it, and just prepare for the three standup questions one minute in advance.
- But why can't we have the standup when I am finished with what I'm doing?
- Because this way everyone else would have to wait for you.
- Hmm..., OK, so let's start the meeting everyday when the last person of the team shows up!
- Don't you see it is worst for you? this way you will cut your work unexpectedly, and what if when the last team members arrives, one of the existing ones take a coffee-break?
- So let's do it everyday when everyone can.
- RRRR... OK, It is at 10:00  because I reserved a meeting room for this hour, and it won't be available later!!!
- OK, OK, dear lord..., why are you shouting?

Creationism my eye!

One of the proofs Creationism uses to show Evolution is rubbish is the eye.

Basically it goes like this - The eye is too complex a functionality to be created at the process of evolution, hence there must be someone who thought of the whole functionality, and created the organ to suit it.

If you are not a software developer, you may also claim that the existence of MS-Windows (*)  is the proof of the existence of Bill Gates that had a big and totally detailed idea, and created this marvel of software to suit it.

Being in the software business, though, I know things work totally differently.

Most pieces of software, even the famous one (Say an Operating system) have the following life-cycle:
- Someone has a vague idea of what she (**) wants.
- Some code is written to implement this, on the way some details turn out to be impossible or too hard to implement, and some plain irrelevant, and of course some bugs are introduced.
- Through Q.A. ,user's feedback, manager's ideas, or something of the sort, some bugs are fixed and some minor functionality is added or altered.
- If the initial idea survives for long enough, some major changes are introduced (think of major Windows versions), most of the time based on the old code (using the "if it aint broke don't fix it" law)
- If the system survives longer than ATNP*π, the following applies:
   ( ATNP = the Average Time it takes a developer to seek a New Post,  π=3.141592653589793 23846...) 
   - There is no-one who totally understands how the code works.
   - The functionality is as far away from the original design as (fill in your own metaphor).
Given the fact the first man was born at least 5771 years ago (which is the minimum of 3.5 billion years, the Ussher date, and the Hebrew date) and setting ATNP to 30 years (a generous average time for a human to give offsprings), and given the fact 30*π <  5771, I'd argue the eye is a nice piece of evolutionary artifact.

Now, I know what you are thinking (***), but I assure you my intention in this blog is to talk about Software and Scrum, and I'll really try to get closer to it next time! (though I think I talked about both today ;-)

Till nextime!

The S.E.B.


(*) Some argue Bill Gates is the devil, I'd say he is god since they say god is in the details, and MS-products tend to have waaaay too much of those. 
(**) See my previous post.
(***) You are thinking - "no you don't"