The Codeless Code: Case 162 All According to Plan
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Master Banzen was in a neighboring province, visiting an
abbot whose brethren had recently won a development contract
away from a incumbent.
“It has proven to be a hollow victory,” lamented the abbot
as he poured the tea. “The code we inherited is a towering
mountain of dung, where even the slightest prod buries us up
to our eyeballs in a landslide of manure festering with
null-pointer exceptions.”
“I am eating,” the master said.
“Little wonder that our predecessors were unable to make
even the slightest modification without weeks of effort!”
continued the abbot. “Little wonder the governor’s patience
was at an end! We should refactor, but I do not know even
where to begin, or how to verify that we have not broken
anything in the process.”
“Where are the requirements?” asked the master.
“There are none,” said the abbot. “The governor’s habit is
to dictate each change as the mood strikes him. He says
that, by definition, whatever the code is doing right now is
correct.”
Banzen sipped his tea. “It is? Then all my sympathies go to
the governor, and none to you! That poor man! Twice now—and
at no small expense—he has contracted an entire abbey to
build software for the express purpose of making him
miserable. You should thank your predecessors for their
admirable foundation.”
