Re: Software Bugs and Complexity

Subject: Re: Software Bugs and Complexity
From: Bruce Byfield <bbyfield -at- axionet -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Tue, 28 Nov 2000 09:00:30 -0800

puff -at- guild -dot- net wrote:
>
> You're getting it backwards, Bruce. The claim is not that this
> *is* what happens (although by this point anecdotal evidence is
> overwhelming that it does) but that this is what *can* happen, and by
> definition cannot happen with closed-source software. C'mon, you
> edit Maximum Linux, you should know this :-).

I was playing devil's advocate. I've seen it happen too many times
to have many doubts, but I would like to see it formally studied.

And, BTW, a "Contributing Editor" doesn't do any regular editing,
although I've helped out when requested. Strangely enough, what a
contributing editor does is write.


> It'd be interesting to see an analysis of the claim, but I doubt
> you'll ever see a real analysis, because it'd need to analyze
> commercial closed-source software as well,

You have a point. Still, a comparison of the time taken to respond
to bugs should be possible, since it would involve no NDAs, just the
time between a bug being known and the announcement of a fix, both
of which are at least semi-public events.

> I do think that we're likely to see the concept of "programmer"
> and/or the general distinction between a somebody who's familiar with
> and comfortable using and manipulating information technology
> disappear.

Interestingly enough, that's already happening in the free software
movement. Many of the free developers see themselves as users who
happen to program. When I've assumed a division between developers
and users, several took me to task.

--
Bruce Byfield, Outlaw Communications
Contributing Editor, Maximum Linux
604.421.7189 bbyfield -at- axionet -dot- com

"This is the hour when the city turns blue,
This is the time of the lost and found,
They've loosed the nutters in the Underground,
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- Oysterband, "The Lost and Found"

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