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First law - The Computer is always right. Lemma one - Programmers are occasionally right. Second law - The amount of time needed to debug a program is inversely proprotional to the time allotted for debugging. Corollary - Programs never work the first time unless there is virtually unlimited time to complete the program. Third law - Any programmer can find 90% of his bugs simply by explaining his program to an uninterested observer. Corollary - The uninterested observer may be sleeping, dead, nonhuman, or, in extreme cases, nonexistant. Fourth law - The most difficult or nearly impossible programming problems appear obvious or extremely simple to anyone with little or no knowledge of programming. Corollary - Those problems most easily solved by a programmer appear to be overwhelmingly complicated and marvelous to the layman. Fifth law - Computers are never more intelligent than their programmers. Corollary - Most computers are incredibly stupid. Sixth law - The rarest bugs in any operating system or major programming effort will always show up in a demonstration of its use to prospective users or customers. Corollary - These bugs usually cannot be reproduced and therfore cannot be located. Lemma one - Customers will never purchase programs which appear to be riddled with bugs as verified by demonstration. Paradox - Most programs are unfit for sale. Read More »
First law - The Computer is always right. Lemma one - Programmers are occasionally right. Second law - The amount of time needed to debug a program is inversely proprotional to the time allotted for debugging. Corollary - Programs never work the first time unless there is virtually unlimited time to complete the program. Third law - Any programmer can find 90% of his bugs simply by explaining his program to an uninterested observer. Corollary - The uninterested observer may be sleeping, dead, nonhuman, or, in extreme cases, nonexistant. Fourth law - The most difficult or nearly impossible programming problems appear obvious or extremely simple to anyone with little or no knowledge of programming. Corollary - Those problems most easily solved by a programmer appear to be overwhelmingly complicated and marvelous to the layman. Fifth law - Computers are never more intelligent than their programmers. Corollary - Most computers are incredibly stupid. Sixth law - The rarest bugs in any operating system or major programming effort will always show up in a demonstration of its use to prospective users or customers. Corollary - These bugs usually cannot be reproduced and therfore cannot be located. Lemma one - Customers will never purchase programs which appear to be riddled with bugs as verified by demonstration. Paradox - Most programs are unfit for sale.