Peace For Our Time Programming. Term used within information technology (IT).
A programming style which is solely focused on solving the functional issue fast rather than solving the issue and technically maintaining the software at the same time.
PFOTP initially makes everyone happy. The software developer himself is happy that he has finished his work in such a short time and, for the time being, has solved the bug. His manager is happy that he just reached another target. And the customer is happy with the renewed functionality.
Still, the chosen solution is a small investment in the decay of the software module. Within time, small pieces of rotten quick-win solutions will help it deteriorate more and more. Though the complexity of the functionality stays the same, technically it is becoming more and more unreliable until it is payback time and all hell breaks loose.
Eventually a co-worker has to rewrite all the mess.
A programming style which is solely focused on solving the functional issue fast rather than solving the issue and technically maintaining the software at the same time.
PFOTP initially makes everyone happy. The software developer himself is happy that he has finished his work in such a short time and, for the time being, has solved the bug. His manager is happy that he just reached another target. And the customer is happy with the renewed functionality.
Still, the chosen solution is a small investment in the decay of the software module. Within time, small pieces of rotten quick-win solutions will help it deteriorate more and more. Though the complexity of the functionality stays the same, technically it is becoming more and more unreliable until it is payback time and all hell breaks loose.
Eventually a co-worker has to rewrite all the mess.
Now let me see...
If we take Hitler as the bug and Chamberlain as the programmer, Sudetenland as the chosen PFOTP solution, the British people as customers and all the allied forces as co-workers...
Would that clarify things a bit?
If we take Hitler as the bug and Chamberlain as the programmer, Sudetenland as the chosen PFOTP solution, the British people as customers and all the allied forces as co-workers...
Would that clarify things a bit?
by Blogfeedser February 9, 2009