Radio Astronomy Software Development:

1) Managed by people who have never developed software (or did it eons ago)

2) Developed by people who barely understand what and how  it is used.

3 ) Tested by people who never use it in real life

4) Used by people who were not sure what they wanted in the first place.

Quotes from the Marcelayan

From the book of Guido 3:1
On Fishbath day one shall indent code by 4 white spaces
On Fishmoultday identation shall be done by 6 white spaces
On the rare day of Fishsweat one shall code only with tabs as white spaces

From the book of El Gato 1:7

Nothing is more beautiful than displayed in 80 characters wide terminal.
Thus no code shall be written that violates this edict except on Soltice days when
thou shall not touch a ^M or ^J.

Fundamental

Obvious

Many radio astronomers can't seem to see the obvious or self evident
till they get their face rubbed into it.

I am shocked

I have not been invited (me who did Non-Euclidean Transformation Grammars with C++ http://marctimalin.blogspot.com/2006_02_01_archive.html) to the 3rd Generation Calibration meeting.

They are talking of a new breed
I lead my own species indeed
Young minds are not being being 3GC'ed, que c'est chiant !
And yet i'm forgotten like Boris Vian.

What do we call people who train others in what they don't know ?
Yes.....No ?
Who theorize about collaboration ?
Those faux genies without a passion !

I know i'm right why collaborate ?
I will get it right without a sweat on my pate
I can drive my new Ferrari
(Pere was kind to buy me another one)
It will generate less CO2 than talking in Paris
(and be bored like a moine).

Requirements

Marcel's first rule on software requirements ( ok i'm not humble)


If a requirement cannot be explained in plain French (i'll grudgingly accept plain English too) then its not a requirement.

Quote of the day

From my personal chef :

A quick omelet is usually called scrambled eggs.