Xtc20050823

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If anything special is happening please post an announcement

Topics for Discussion:

• Joel Spolsky's argument in favour of BigDesignUpFront
• • OliBye won't be there but points out that an argument for BDUF based on deliverying version 1.0 (as in Aardvark), is pathetic. If you're going to hire a bunch of people for just one thing, then BDUF protects you as it becomes part of the contract. It's when you arrive in the middle of year 5, all the original developers have left, all their designs are out of date that you have to do something for next week that BDUF doesn't work, BDUFers argue for big budget rewrites at this point, which is valid, I just wouldn't like to explain it to a Trader.
  • It seems like a very sensible little todo list for some modifications to TightVNC? and a website to register and pay. It may have been done upfront, but I've scanned it and it's not big and it's not a design. -- OliBye
  • "They’re just wrong on this point and I can’t be any clearer than that." - I'm not sure there's much to discuss!
  • It's a "straw man" arguement based on a weak example. When the problem and solution domains are well understood and stable then BUFD may well be the best solution. -- AlanGriffiths
  • I'm not sure I agree with Alan here, What Joel is doing is not BDUF, there is no situation in which design up front is good, however, analysing the requirements is good, and can be done either in the way Joel has done, or with user stories and the planning game. -- "MichaelBruntonSpall"

• People in the Xtc who play Go or know of Go playing groups in London

Who's going to be at XtC:

• RachelDavies
• AnotherShaunSmith
• AdewaleOshineye
• IrekJozwiak
• AlanGriffiths at the C++ table, with long hair
• RobertHunter (new guy!) at the C++ table, with no hair
• MichaelBruntonSpall (also new) at the C++ table, with facial hair
• DavidZerk (newbie #3!) at the C++ table, with Jeff Goldbulm glasses"
• RobertAncell? (new to London!) didn't make it
• RomillyCocking
• SteveF
• MikeStorey
• NatPryce