The traditional approach to software development is called a waterfall development model: code like crazy for months, test like crazy for a while, ship, collapse, repeat. That has been replaced in some companies, particularly internet companies, by a more incremental approach: code one feature, test that feature, ship, go for coffee, repeat. I like the second approach much better. So I was at first surprised and mortified to read about the Waterfall 2006 conference:
After years of being disparaged by some in the software development community, the waterfall process is back with a vengeance. You’ve always known a good waterfall-based process is the right way to develop software projects. Come to the Waterfall 2006 conference and see how a sequential development process can benefit your next project. Learn how slow, deliberate handoffs (with signatures!) between groups can slow the rate of change on any project so that development teams have more time to spend on anticipating user needs through big, upfront design.
But upon reading in more detail, I think the site is just hilarious. They are kidding…. right?
