Software Releases
From the October 1997 issue of the I/O Port Newsletter
Internally, Microsoft has been naming its products after cities, with names such as "Memphis", and "Cairo".
If this trend takes off in the software industry as a whole, we may see some more cynical names being used ...
"Bataan"
A team of programmers pull a series of all-nighters and drive themselves to the point of collapse in order to meet the release date.
"Stalingrad"
The project turns out to be far more difficult than expected. Management responds by assigning more and more programmers to the development effort, but it ultimately fails.
"Dresden"
The company that originally owned the product goes down in flames. As part of the liquidation, the product ends up in the hands of a competitor, who severely mismanages it.
"Beirut"
Internal squabbling among the programmers turns the project into a basket case. Senior management comes in, kicks some heads, and gets the project back on track. But the programmers still hate each other.
"Carthage"
After two previously unsuccessful releases, a third version of the product is released. This also fails. The project's programmers are dispersed, and the product's name is never spoken again.
"Jerusalem"
The ultimate legacy application. Generations of hacks, fixes, patches, different operating systems, and changes of management have produced an application that is completely unmaintainable.
"Mumbai"
For reasons best known to themselves, marketing tries to sell an existing well-known product under a new name. The typical response from customers is a blank stare, followed by "Oh, you mean Bombay".
"Nanking"
After the developers fail to produce a successful product, management punishes the guilty and innocent alike with mass sackings.
For more information on the Tulsa Computer Society click here
This page has been accessed
times.
Tulsa Computer Society 09/08/97
Don Singleton, President
tcs@galstar.com