Software Development and Construction

David Anderson has suggested through Jim Shore that software development and construction have NOTHING in common. As Jim states (and he states at the risk of him being rude)

Software development is nothing like construction. Nothing!

Nothing? No one single thing? Zero? Nada? Really, now that's news to us who have worked in both, even built software to support construction projects.

When I come in contact with an absolute statement, my first response is

... can this really be true?

Is the writer trying to make a point at the expense of reality or do they simply not understand the problem domain sufficiently to realize how rare absolute statements are in the world of software development?

The point here - which seems to have been lost - is construction and software development in some domains - have a lot in common. I've discussed a few of the connections between the principles of agile and construction.

David asked a question in his update regarding my experience in writing commerical software. So at the risk of responding to a somewhat low challange, yes I do have experience writing software for money:

• Realtime embedded systems for fault tolerant process control products
• Radar and sonar systems, both flight and ground systems
• Fleet Ballistic Missile installation and test systems for SSBM Trident class boats
• DD 963 sonar test sets
• Radiation Intelligence systems (this things sort out friend or foe before firing the missile)
• Airborne launch control systems for MX and Minute Man
• Newspaper systems for editorial and classified advertising
• ATM networks for several brand name banks along with the teller workstation
• Document management and engineering design systems
• ERP systems integration applications

None of these are in David's domain so it is unlikely they would meet the  "commerical" standard in the sense of MSFT or wireless apps, but our customer had money and we wanted some of it. But I have come to realize that the young pups have it all over me in the 21st century. Since I don't write code anymore. Maybe experience older than 10 years doesn't count anymore. Maybe though there are leassons that are still be learned by the current generation. Maybe not. Maybe everything IS new.