Small matter of programming: Difference between revisions

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'''Small Matter of Programming''' ('''SMOP''') or '''Small Matter of Programming''' was among the "games" described in an article written [[pseudonym]]ously <ref> {{Citation | last = Shedley | first = Ethan I. | title = [[Big System Games]] | magazine = [[Datamation]] | volume = 17 | issue = 7 | pages = 22–25 | publisher = Technical Publishing Company, 1301 South Grove Ave., Barrington, Illinois 60010 | date = April 1, 1971 }}</ref> as paralleling the ''[[Games People Play (book)|Games People Play]]'' identified by Dr. [[Eric Berne]] in the field of self-help psychology. The game essentially consists of proposing seemingly simple adjustments to a design, and leaving to someone else the problem of fitting the unexpected consequences into the schedule.

When used in computer science, a SMOP is the smallest unit of software engineering effort which can be allocated at the onset of a project. A SMOP has the curious property that its size increases exponentially as the project progresses. It is not uncommon for a SMOP to grow to man-decades. There is anecdotal evidence of SMOPs encompassing man-centuries.

*The [[Jargon File]] describes a SMOP<ref>[http://www.catb.org/jargon/html/S/SMOP.html Simple Matter of Programming] in the [[Jargon File]]</ref> as:

Note that SMOPs are logarithmic in nature. Each additional SMOP adds another order of magnitude onto calendar time.

:#A piece of code, not yet written, whose anticipated length is significantly greater than its complexity. Used to refer to a program that could obviously be written, but is not worth the trouble. Also used ironically to imply that a difficult problem can be easily solved because a program can be written to do it; the irony is that it is very clear that writing such a program will be a great deal of work. “It's easy to enhance a FORTRAN compiler to compile COBOL as well; it's just a SMOP.”

:#Often used ironically by the intended victim when a suggestion for a program is made which seems easy to the suggester, but is obviously (to the victim) a lot of work. Compare ''minor detail''.

Note that SMOPs are often logarithmic in nature. Each additional SMOP adds another order of magnitude onto calendar time.

The implication of using it is either

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==References==

{{reflist}}

==External links==

* [http://www.catb.org/jargon/html/S/SMOP.html Simple Matter of Programming] in the [[Jargon File]]

[[Category:Anti-patterns]]

[[Category:Computer jargon]]

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