1)
Programmer produces
code he believes is
bug-free.
2) Product is
tested. 20 bugs are found.
3) Programmer fixes 10 of the bugs and explains to the
testing department that the other 10 aren't really bugs.
4)
Testing department finds that five of the
fixes didn't work and discovers 15 new bugs.
5) See 3.
6) See 4.
7) See 5.
8) See 6.
9) See 7.
10) See 8.
11) Due to
marketing pressure and an extremely pre-mature product announcement based on
over-optimistic programming schedule, the product is released.
12) Users find 137 new bugs.
13) Original
programmer, having cashed his royalty check, is nowhere to be found.
14) Newly-assembled programming team fixes almost all of the 137 bugs, but introduce 456 new ones.
15) Original programmer sends
underpaid testing department a postcard from Fiji. Entire
testing department quits.
16)
Company is bought in a hostile takeover by competitor using profits from their
latest release, which had 783 bugs.
17) New
CEO is brought in by board of directors. He hires
programmer to redo program from scratch.
18)
Programmer produces
code he believes is
bug-free.
19) See step 2