[kwlug-disc] OpenSource Me!

[Bob Jonkman]

On 19 Dec 2008 at 18:45, unsolicited wrote:

>Any good reference works out there as to (a) if they only knew then
>what they know now [designing things / environment / package better up
>front instead of redoing the app multiple times, and (b) design
>guidelines / suggestions / etc. as one dives in head first?

Very often you can't "know now" until you've gone through at least one iteration of a 
failed implementation.  As you get people using your application you'll find out what it 
is they really want to do which they didn't articulate in the first design phase.  Often 
you'll end up coding yourself into a corner, and it becomes a great relief to start all 
over again, knowing now what you would have liked to know then.

Watch out for the creeping feature creature. Start with a clear idea of what you want to 
do, and stick to it.  Once you've coded yourself into a corner you can incorporate the new 
features on V2.0.

Fortunately, it sound like Glenn has already been through one iteration of an unsuccessful 
implementation with off-the-shelf products.  That'll go a long way towards getting the 
design close to what your customers need.

--Bob.