ftp.barnyard.co.uk/2015.02.ftp.barnyard.co.uk.tar/ftp.barnyard.co.uk/cpm/walnut-creek-CDROM/ZSYS/ZNODE-12/A/GENESIS.TXT

Text File | 2000-06-30 | 7KB | 123 lines

                         GENESIS (Release 2.5)
                   [from Datamation, November, 1973]

      In the beginning the Project Manager created the
Programming Staff.  The Programming Staff was without form and
structure.  And the Project Manager said, "Let there be
Organization." and there was Organization.  And the Project
Manager saw that Organization was good; and the Project Manager
separated the workers from the supervisors, and he called the
supervisors--"Management" and he called the workers--"Exempt".

      And the Project Manager said, "Let there be a mission in
the midst of the Organization, and let it separate the workers,
one from another."  And the Project Manager created the mission
and he called it--"The System".  And the Project Manager
separated those who were to benefit from The System from those
who were to build it.  And he called the former--"Users" and he
called the latter--"Programmers".

     And the Project Manager said, "let all the Programmers in
the Organization be gathered together into one place, and let a
Chief Programmer be brought up to lead them."  And it was so.
And the Project Manager saw that he was competent.

      And the Project Manager said unto the Chief Programmer,
"Create for me a schedule, so that I may look upon the schedule
and know the Due Date."  And the Chief Programmer went among his
staff and consulted with them.  And the staff was divided into
two parts, one part was called--"Analysts" and the other--
"Application Programmers".  And the Analysts went back to their
desks and estimated, as was their custom.  And it came to pass
that each Analyst brought his estimate to the Chief Programmer,
whereupon he collected them, summarized them, and drew a PERT
Chart.

      And the Chief Programmer went unto the Project Manager and
presented to him the estimate saying, "It shall take ten months."
And the Project Manager was not pleased and said, "I have brought
you up from the depths of the staff;  you have not grasped the
'Big Picture'".  And the Project Manager hired consultants, and
authorized overtime, and he said to the Chief Programmer,
"Behold, see all that I have done!  The Due Date will be in five
months."  The Chief Programmer was much impressed and went from
before the Project Manager and proceeded to implement The System.

      And the Chief Programmer sent his Analysts to the Users and
said, "Let Specifications be written."  And there were meetings,
and lunches, and telephone calls.  And the Specifications were
written.  And there was a Payday and the Happy Hour, one month.

      And the Chief Programmer examined the Specifications and
saw that they were too ambitious.  And he separated the mandatory
features from the optional features;  and he called the mandatory
features--"Requirements" and he called the optional features--
"Deferred" and the Users called him names.  And the Chief
Programmer gave the Specifications to the Analysts and said, "Let
the Requirements be analyzed and let the Files be designed."  And
it was so.  And the Chief Programmer said, "Let the Software
Houses put forth their Salesmen, and let us have a Data
Management System."  And it was so.  The Software Houses brought
forth all manner of Salesmen who presented their packages, and
claimed wondrous things for them, each according to his own file
structure.  And it came to pass that a Data Management System was
selected;  and the Chief Programmer saw that it was good.  And
there was a Payday and the Happy Hour, a second month.

      And the Chief Programmer said, "Let the System be divided
into parts, and let each part be called a 'Module'.  And let
programming teams be formed and let each be assigned to write a
Module."  And it was so.  And the Chief Programmer created the
programming teams with two levels, a greater and a lesser;  and
he called the greater the "Senior Programmers" and he called the
lesser the "Junior Programmers".  And he gave the greater
dominion over the lesser.  And the Chief Programmer saw it was
good.  And the Junior Programmers saw it differently.  And there
was a Payday and the Happy Hour, a third month.

      And the Chief Programmer said, "Let the programming be
started and let much overtime be consumed, for there are but two
months left."  And the Programmers, both the Senior and the
Junior, were much afraid, and they strove to please the Chief
Programmer.  And they flowcharted, and they coded, each in his
own fashion.  And the Chief Programmer looked upon the work and
liked it not.  And the Chief Programmer said, "Let there be a
Standard" and there was a Standard.  And the Programmers looked
upon the Standard and liked it not.  And there was a Payday and
the Happy Hour, a fourth month.

      And the Chief Programmer said, "Let there be Progress
Reports, so we can monitor and control" and there were Progress
Reports.  And the chief Programmer looked upon the Progress
Reports and saw that the Due Date was not to be met.  And the
Chief Programmer arose, pressed his suit, shaved his beard, and
went unto the Project Manager, and groveled.  And the Chief
Programmer pointed his fingers, and caused Blame to issue forth
upon all manner of creatures who sold Hardware and Software.  And
the Chief Programmer asked for an Extension.

      And the Project Manager was exceedingly angry, and cast
doubts upon the Chief Programmer's ancestry;  and uttered a
multitude of threats.  But it came to pass that an Extension was
granted and the Chief Programmer took the Extension back to the
programming teams, and there was much rejoicing.  And the
programming of the modules was completed.  And there was a Payday
and the Happy Hour, a fifth month.

      And the Chief Programmer said, "Let the Modules be
integrated, one with another, so that System Testing may begin."
And it was so.  Two by two the Modules were integrated, one with
another.  And great difficulties were experienced, and many hours
of overtime were used, and many cups of coffee were consumed.
And it came to pass that System Testing was completed.  And there
was a Payday and the Happy Hour, a sixth month.

      Then the Chief Programmer did go to the Project Manager and
said unto him, "Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy
which will come to all the Users for on this day The System is
completed."  And suddenly there was with them a multitude of
Users praising the Chief Programmer and saying, "Glory be to The
System in the highest, but can you make this one small change?"