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principles:murphy_s_law [2021-09-02 10:44] – old revision restored (2021-05-11 22:11) 65.21.179.175principles:murphy_s_law [2021-10-20 21:12] – old revision restored (2020-04-24 14:39) christian
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 ===== Variants and Alternative Names ===== ===== Variants and Alternative Names =====
  
-  * Design for Errors((Alan M. Davis//201 Principles of Software Development//))+  * Design for Errors(({{page>resources:201 Principles#reference}}))
  
 ===== Context ===== ===== Context =====
 /* fill in contexts here: */ /* fill in contexts here: */
   * [[contexts:Object-Oriented Design]]    * [[contexts:Object-Oriented Design]] 
 +  * [[contexts:API Design]] 
 +  * [[contexts:User Interface Design]]  
 +  * [[contexts:Implementation]]
  
 ===== Principle Statement ===== ===== Principle Statement =====
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 There are different kinds of possible errors that can and according to ML eventually will occur in some way: Replicated data can get out of sync, invariants can be broken, preconditions can be violated, interfaces can be misunderstood, parameters can be given in the wrong order, typos can occur, values can be mixed up, etc. There are different kinds of possible errors that can and according to ML eventually will occur in some way: Replicated data can get out of sync, invariants can be broken, preconditions can be violated, interfaces can be misunderstood, parameters can be given in the wrong order, typos can occur, values can be mixed up, etc.
  
-Note that Murphy's law also applies to every chunk of code. According to the law the programmer will make mistakes while implementing the system. So it is better to implement a simple design, as this will have fewer possibilities to make implementation mistakes. Furthermore code is maintained. Bugfixes will be necessary present functionality will be changed and enhanced, so every piece of code will potentially be touched in future. So a design is better the fewer possibilities there are to introduce faults while doing maintenance work.+Note that Murphy's law also applies to every chunk of code. According to the law the programmer will make mistakes while implementing the system. So it is better to implement a simple design, as this will have fewer possibilities to make implementation mistakes. Furthermore code is maintained. Bugfixes will be necessarypresent functionality will be changed and enhanced, so every piece of code will potentially be touched in the future. So a design is better the fewer possibilities there are to introduce faults while doing maintenance work.
  
  
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 /*  * [[wiki:Examined]]*/ /*  * [[wiki:Examined]]*/
  
-  * [[wiki:Accepted]] The principle is widely known and it's validity is assumed. Nevertheless sometimes it is rather used as a kind of joke instead of an design advice. See for example Jargon File: //[[http://www.catb.org/jargon/html/M/Murphys-Law.html|Murphy's Law]]//+  * [[wiki:Accepted]] The principle is widely known and it's validity is assumed. Nevertheless sometimes it is rather used as a kind of joke instead of as design advice. See for example Jargon File: //[[http://www.catb.org/jargon/html/M/Murphys-Law.html|Murphy's Law]]//
  
 /*  * [[wiki:Questioned]]*/ /*  * [[wiki:Questioned]]*/
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   * [[Easy to Use and Hard to Misuse]] (EUHM): Because of ML an interface should be crafted so it is easy to use and hard to misuse. EUHM is the application of ML to interfaces.   * [[Easy to Use and Hard to Misuse]] (EUHM): Because of ML an interface should be crafted so it is easy to use and hard to misuse. EUHM is the application of ML to interfaces.
   * [[Uniformity Principle]] (UP): A typical source of mistakes are differences. If similar things work similarly, they are more understandable. But if there are subtle differences in how things work, it is likely that someone will make the mistake to mix this up.   * [[Uniformity Principle]] (UP): A typical source of mistakes are differences. If similar things work similarly, they are more understandable. But if there are subtle differences in how things work, it is likely that someone will make the mistake to mix this up.
-  * [[Invariant Avoidance Principle]] (IAP): Invariants are statements that have be true in order to keep a module in a consistent state. ML states that eventually an invariant will be broken resulting in a hard to detect defect. IAP states that invariants should therefore be avoided. So IAP is the application of ML to invariants.+  * [[Invariant Avoidance Principle]] (IAP): Invariants are statements that have to be true in order to keep a module in a consistent state. ML states that eventually an invariant will be broken resulting in a hard to detect defect. IAP states that invariants should therefore be avoided. So IAP is the application of ML to invariants.
  
 ==== Contrary Principles ==== ==== Contrary Principles ====
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   * [[wiki>MurphysLaw]]   * [[wiki>MurphysLaw]]
  
 +===== Discussion =====
 +
 +Discuss this wiki article and the principle on the corresponding [[talk:principles:Murphy's Law|talk page]].
principles/murphy_s_law.txt · Last modified: 2021-10-20 21:18 by christian