peter_wise2001 wrote (on the XpMailingList): ''For an upcoming job interview, I have spent much time today finding out about XP. I recognise that it would seem to solve many of the problems that, in my experience, have beset software development:''
* ''The dangers of concentration on the abstract at the requirements/design stage of the software development cycle.''
* ''The necessity of reiteration in the cycle and in parts of the cycle.''
* ''The loneliness the programmer and the stress caused by code reviews.''
* ''The difficulty in tracking true progress.''
* ''Lack of regular customer involvement and the risk of "making the wrong product" for the customer.''

The U''''''sualSuspects replied:
* I'm JustaProgrammer. All I want to do in life is code, eat, have relations, and sleep. Each following BestPractice''''''s.
* Without a team practicing XP, or similar BestPractice''''''s, I can't just code.
* The team enforces worst practices that cause "ProcessWaste", then they enforce other worst practices to clean up.

Observed bottlenecks to productivity:
* My colleague 
** wrote a class I can't fix
** delayed integration, causing bugs
* My team 
** does not run DailyBuild''''''s
** does not maintain CommonBuildEnvironment''''''s
** does not run my tests every 10 edits
** treats test failures as bugs I caused by testing too much
** insists on using languages like VisualBasic that resist flow; by locking up the editor each time you run the TestSuite
** insists on using languages like PerlLanguage that resist refactoring
** culture equates "ReFactor''''''ing" with "rework" and "adding bugs", despite overwhelming evidence that fewer code lines makes for less bugs and easier upgrades
** strictly limits my ability to converse with a real "customer", because I might freak them out
* Code without tests derails my code (with tests), so I must run the debugger I was trying to avoid
* Other team members (and management) don't agree that running the automated tests is a requirement for checking in the code.  So they regularly change the code "away" from the tests, breaking them.  And I don't have the time to do "the other half" of their jobs.
* My boss 
** ordered my colleague not to sit next to me and help
** ordered me not to check my tests into the house version control system, because "we already have too many modules in it" (mostly CodeFork''''''s)  [FearOfAddingClasses]
** tells me my time estimates instead of the other way around
** refuses to prioritize features in business order, "because you might get the architecture wrong"
* Our customers refuse to accept frequent releases because they are familiar with vendors using them as their free Quality Control teams

XP is a BulletOfaVeryShinyMaterial, that is known to slay all those lycanthropes.


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CategoryExtremeProgramming