[lug] Developer abuse

[Mike Stanczyk]

On Mon, 15 Nov 2004, Timothy Klein wrote:

> Tim
>
> And architects and engineers are VERY strict
> about allowing the client to change design part way through a job
> (read:  they will charge you out the wazoo and delay your job if you
> do, and they make you sign contracts clearly stating what you want at
> every step of the way).

God I *wish* I could have had signed contracts about changes to
software.  That would have saves SO many headaches...

But how do you stop this:
Couple of years ago, I was working for a company writing code for
point of sales terminals.  I was a junior programmer at the time
and I was given a bug to fix.  The bug was in the return of a repaired
item (the repair failed).  My problem was do I allow the return of a
repair from another location?  The business rules said no.  A senior
programmer from another part of the POS team (not my team lead)
ordered me to remove the check.  I said no and took it to my manager
and team lead.  I was OFFICALLY REPREMANDED and the bug was given to
my team lead to fix.  Six months later the entire repair system was
rewritten because store personal reported that company policy forbade
the returning of repaired items to a different store and the POS system
allowed it.  I left the company soon after.

Mike