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Why Software is Hard

GoCanes writes "Salon's Scott Rosenberg explains why even small-scale programming projects can take years to complete, one programmer is often better than two, and the meaning of 'Rosenberg's Law.' After almost 50 years, the state of the art is still pretty darn bad. His point is that as long as you're trying to do something that has already been done, then you have an adequate frame of reference to estimate how long it will take/cost. But if software is at all interesting, it's because no one else has done it before."

13 of 409 comments (clear)

  1. Hah HAH by canUbeleiveIT · · Score: -1, Troll

    Tell us, why is it HARD?

    1. Re:Hah HAH by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

      Software isn't hard, my cock is hard, software is difficult!

  2. Re:Ah! The great unknown... by kfg · · Score: 0, Troll

    Treading new ground always requires greater effort. If I cut a my way through virgin jungle then those who follow have a path.

    The problem is even thinking in terms of "effort." Ideas are not the product of labor. Time with a chain saw is proportional to length of path cleared.

    Ideas may come in a flash, or evade forever.

    KFG

  3. Boo-Fucking-Hoo by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Our job is hard. Boo hoo. Welcome to the fucking world you crybabies!

  4. Re:Ah! The great unknown... by kfg · · Score: 0, Troll

    Some of my best ideas have come from pondering over a problem.

    What I did not say is that thinking is easy.

    KFG

  5. Re:Software is Math by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Math are plural.

  6. I 7hank you for your time by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll
  7. Re:Ah! The great unknown... by kfg · · Score: 0, Troll

    Just disagreeing on our definition of the word "labor".

    That's what I was doing; and within the context of a specific provided example.

    Think about it. It might take some effort.

    KFG

  8. How hard can it be? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    How hard can it be, even girls can do it.

  9. Re:Ah! The great unknown... by kfg · · Score: 0, Troll

    Are you talking about "Ideas may come in a flash, or evade forever."?

    Which is the clue that I'm not talking about thinking.

    If you've got a point to make, please do so.

    Think.

    KFG

  10. Re:Ah! The great unknown... by kfg · · Score: 0, Troll

    I'll reiterate, if you've got a point to make, do so...without obfuscation.

    No.

    KFG

  11. Re:Programming without cookies by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Someone put their tampon in backwards this morning.

  12. Re:Programmers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Gay Boy says: "Where do you live? The 50s? blah blah blah"

    Fuck off, faggot. Who the fuck do you think you are? Some kind of "queen" -- probably. What are you, the thought police? Fuck off and die you anus licking rim job homo.

    You have absolutely no right to ponitficate to others, you low life urine drinking piece of bloody poofter rectum juice. FOAD.