Common software engineering terms

By stoat on December 14, 2011.

Pony - something that the customer wants, and which might even make sense, but isn't going to get done within your timescales. Might get done later.
Unicorn - Like a pony, but doesn't actually make sense, so will never be done.
Zombiecorn - Like a unicorn, but it won't die, no matter how often you prove that it won't work.

But that is a very short post, so in no clear order:

Nitpicking others' arguments is not the same thing as "critical thinking." That involves nitpicking your own arguments.

from Bickmore's Laws updates.

Timmy is amusing on The Great Norwegian Butter Famine. I'm not going to mention Durban, because it was a complete waste of time, as I said some time ago. Instead, I want Carbon tax Now! If you want to read someone more positive, try David Hone.

Mike Rose is having fun in Antarctica. The two Norwegians heading off into the wilds in search of butter look lonely.

Refs

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A carbon tax? Really? Why not wait and see how well it works down under?

By TheGoodLocust (not verified) on 15 Dec 2011 #permalink

"train wreck" -- collection of problems, all avoidable next run by making one change to a pointer or correcting one wrong signal.

"exploding whale" -- collection of problems that suddenly becomes obvious for no single reason, generated by some unknown combination of factors over unknown time span.