How to Programme - The Pareto Principle 80/20

[Uncle Gizmo]

TeslaBot Hands REVEALED! Elon Shows off a Ton of New Features. With Scott Walter!​

This recent YouTube clip about the Tesla robot hand. Scott describes how engineers can get bogged down on the hardest part of the problem. They never get finished! I realised the same rule applies to programming (I'm guilty of breaking it myself). I recall that when I have solved difficult problems, it's been because solving other parts of the problem show how to solve the hard part...

 

[The_Doc_Man]

The problem with Pareto's 80/20 rule is that it is inaccurate.

The first 80% of a problem takes 80% of the effort. The last 20% of the problem takes the other 80% of the effort. Pareto's law SHOULD read that due to corporate financial officers' nearly phallic obsessions with "sharpening your estimating pencil" those officers always trim 60% more than they should have (and then reset the total as though it were 100% of the real cost.) But the cost overrun will probably be 160% of their "approved" estimate.

 

[Uncle Gizmo]

"sharpening your estimating pencil"

Do people still use pencils?

I know the constipated mathematician does ....

 

[The_Doc_Man]

No, man... these days mathematicians and engineers work it out with a slide rule.

 

[NauticalGent]

Do people still use pencils?

I know the constipated mathematician does ....

Only to work it out...

 

[Uncle Gizmo]

No, man... these days mathematicians and engineers work it out with a slide rule.

Now that would be painful!