THE TAR PIT BY FRANKLYN OMORUAN

What Is Tar Pit ? It describes software development as similar to a prehistoric tar pit, where great and powerful beasts thrashed violently but, ultimately, were unable to free themselves from death. It describes software development as similar to a prehistoric tar pit, where great and powerful beasts thrashed violently but, ultimately, were unable to free themselves from death.

Tar Pit Large scale programming have emerged with running system – few have met goals, schedule and budgets. Large scale programming have emerged with running system – few have met goals, schedule and budgets. Large and small, massive or wiry, team after team has become entangled in the tar. Large and small, massive or wiry, team after team has become entangled in the tar. It should be noted that nothing caused the problem It should be noted that nothing caused the problem Accumulating of simulation and interacting factors brought slower and slower motion. Accumulating of simulation and interacting factors brought slower and slower motion. Everyone is surprised by the stickiness of the problem and is hard to say the nature of the problem. Everyone is surprised by the stickiness of the problem and is hard to say the nature of the problem. The problem has to be understood to enable us solve it. The problem has to be understood to enable us solve it.

We Have To Identify the following: The craft of the system. The craft of the system. The joys The joys The woes. The woes.

The evolution of the programming system product

Programs Programs A program is what we all have developed. It's simple piece of software that is useful to the programmer and/to some set of users who are directly involved in defining its requirements. A program is what we all have developed. It's simple piece of software that is useful to the programmer and/to some set of users who are directly involved in defining its requirements. There are two ways a program can be converted into a more successful, but more costly, object There are two ways a program can be converted into a more successful, but more costly, object The two ways are Programming system and programming product The two ways are Programming system and programming product

Programming product Moving up the graph, we hit programming product. In theory, all commercial applications are programming products. Moving up the graph, we hit programming product. In theory, all commercial applications are programming products. Programming product can be run, tested repaired and extended by anybody. Programming product can be run, tested repaired and extended by anybody. For it to become useable in many operating environments, for many sets of data a program must be written in a generalized fashion. For it to become useable in many operating environments, for many sets of data a program must be written in a generalized fashion. they cost three times as much to develop than simple fully-debugged programs yet they contain the same amount of functionality. This is why it's so hard to get sufficient budget and schedule to do a project right. they cost three times as much to develop than simple fully-debugged programs yet they contain the same amount of functionality. This is why it's so hard to get sufficient budget and schedule to do a project right.

Programming Systems Programming systems are programs intended to be reused as parts of larger systems. Programming systems are programs intended to be reused as parts of larger systems. In modern terms, they are libraries, frameworks, middleware, and other such components that are all the rage in software development. In modern terms, they are libraries, frameworks, middleware, and other such components that are all the rage in software development. Like programming products, programming systems are thoroughly tested, documented, and most importantly are useful outside of the context in which they were created. Like programming products, programming systems are thoroughly tested, documented, and most importantly are useful outside of the context in which they were created. Programming systems are relatively common in groups that execute a lot of similar projects. Programming systems are relatively common in groups that execute a lot of similar projects. The problems encountered are more technically challenging, and it is not strange because the programmer and his colleagues are the user. The problems encountered are more technically challenging, and it is not strange because the programmer and his colleagues are the user.

Programming system products It is useful to a wide range of users and can be effectively extended and/or embedded for the creation of larger systems. It has complete documentation and is extensively tested. It is useful to a wide range of users and can be effectively extended and/or embedded for the creation of larger systems. It has complete documentation and is extensively tested. It costs nine times as much but it is truly a useful object. It costs nine times as much but it is truly a useful object. Your operating system and MS Office are examples of it. Your operating system and MS Office are examples of it.

Joys Of The Craft The joy of making things The joy of making things The joy of making things that are useful to other people The joy of making things that are useful to other people The fascination of fashioning puzzle-like objects of interlocking moving parts The fascination of fashioning puzzle-like objects of interlocking moving parts The joy of always learning, of a no repeating task The joy of always learning, of a no repeating task The delight of working in a medium so tractable—pure thought-stuff—which nevertheless exists, moves, and works in a way that word-objects do not. The delight of working in a medium so tractable—pure thought-stuff—which nevertheless exists, moves, and works in a way that word-objects do not.

Woes Of The Craft Adjusting to the requirement of perfection is the hardest part of learning to program. Adjusting to the requirement of perfection is the hardest part of learning to program. Others set one's objectives and one must depend upon things (especially programs) one cannot control; the authority is not equal to the responsibility. Others set one's objectives and one must depend upon things (especially programs) one cannot control; the authority is not equal to the responsibility. This sounds worse than it is: actual authority comes from momentum of accomplishment. This sounds worse than it is: actual authority comes from momentum of accomplishment. With any creativity come dreary hours of painstaking labor; programming is no exception. With any creativity come dreary hours of painstaking labor; programming is no exception. The programming project converges more slowly the nearer one gets to the end, whereas one expects it to converge faster as one approaches the end. The programming project converges more slowly the nearer one gets to the end, whereas one expects it to converge faster as one approaches the end. One's product is always threatened with obsolescence before completion. The real tiger is never a match for the paper one, unless real use is wanted. One's product is always threatened with obsolescence before completion. The real tiger is never a match for the paper one, unless real use is wanted.

Bibliography /ch18 /ch18 /ch18 /ch18 9/tar-pit.html 9/tar-pit.html 9/tar-pit.html 9/tar-pit.html The Mythical Man-Month by Frederick P. Brooks. The Mythical Man-Month by Frederick P. Brooks.