Re^4: Interview Counterattack: "Show me a project-plan"

[Jenda]

That's a wrong analogy. Would you DESIGN a building with it?!? Developing software is in no way like building a house (or bridge or whatever), on the other hand it is (in some regards) a lot like designing one. The reason why the misleading analogy of building something (which is, or rather should definitely be, mostly a mechanical application of the plans) comes in my opinion from the fact that most people have seen some buildings built, very few have seen them designed, sketches scratched, requirements changed by clients mid-way the project, the basic structures reworked due to problems found later in the project, ...

[chromatic]

That's a wrong analogy.

I agree completely. The source code is the only full and complete design of the software. Everything after that point is manufacturing.

[BrowserUk]

True. But most large building and all bridges are designed using CAD these days. And have been for quite a few years.

[Jenda]

Which doesn't mean that the designers do not have to scratch the design and start anew because something did not work out as intended or because looking at the model (on screen or made of plastic) the client changed the requirements. We (mostly) do not design software on paper either :-)