Software Development Life Cycle

There are eight steps in a software's development cycle. The 9th step is called job security. These get forwarded through email a lot among those working in software development. And I so related to these steps when I first read them that I felt sorry for myself after reading them. haha. After all, which other profession can make one groan in frustration, and sometimes, despair several times in a day? When, just as one has begun to think he's solved a problem or bug, another or more comes up, to one's horror. :P The ff are the 8 steps and my take on each:

1. Define what you want the computer to do.
-- and have a purpose to your programming work

2. Decide how your program shall look onscreen.
-- this step is somewhat parallel to step no. 1

3. Draw your user interface using common parts like windows, menus and command buttons (otherwise known as objects or controls in programming jargon).
-- enough said

4. Define the name, color, size and appearance of each object (These are called the object's properties).
-- We wouldn't want these objects to have identical properties and make our programming life hell, do we? haha. ;)

5. Begin coding to make each object do something.
-- This is the part where I should say, "But of course." So, But of course!! :P

6. Run your program to see if it works.
-- This is unit testing. It's when apprehension/excitement/stress starts to set in because.......

7. If the program doesn't work correctly, cry. It's required.
-- It happens: sometimes to one's absolute horror, innumerable colorful curses and temptation of throwing the PC out the window.

8. Fix any errors or bugs in your program.
-- Relive the strange mix of ambivalent emotions one goes through while doing this: elation, anxiety, exasperation, frustration, despair (?), doggedness, apprehension, excitement, horror, relief, etc.

9. Repeat steps 6 to 8 over and over again until you get tired of searching for more bugs.
-- Then, develop stomach ulcers in the process out of all the stress of doing them for extended periods of time.

So really, there goes a day -- or make that several days/weeks/months -- in the life of a software developer: sit in one's wretched butt the whole day doing these tasks, undergo all the aforementioned emotions, and then after all of the fuss, feel the accomplishment of several days' worth of hard work. I say "accomplishment" is the word. I refuse to say fulfillment. It's a far cry from fulfillment. And I wonder who would say otherwise. After all, work isn't always supposed to be fun or profitable.

So here's a quote I gathered from a book I just read for all developers out there: If a complete moron (like your boss) can use your program with little or no hitch, then most other people can use your program as well. So cheer up, until the next bug comes up. ;D