The Peter Principle (in software)
The Peter Principle states that “In a Hierarchy Every Employee Tends to Rise to His Level of Incompetence.” This is true, people get to where they’re doing a great job, then get promoted to where they can’t do a great job, but don’t fuck up enough to get fired, and stay there for the rest of thier life.
I find this true also with software. There is even a name for this, “software bloat” or “bloatware.” I think the reason this happens is because software companies have to keep rolling out new “features” to stay in business, even when the “features” turn out to be annoyances.
I use a lot of legacy software (older versions) that I like a lot better than the latest version. Here’s a list of programs I have tried the latest version of, and reverted to an older version because I like the older one better:
- Microsoft Windows (Currently at Vista, but I use XP Professional on all my computers. I just bought a new laptop, and actually had to look hard and pay extra to get one with the older, cheaper, XP installed.)
- Microsoft Word (Currently at 2008, but I use 2000.)
- Sony Sound Forge (Currently at version 9, but I use version 8.)
- Nero disc burning suite (Currently at unnumbered version from five years ago.)
- AudioCatalyst MP3 encoder (no longer made, now part of RealPlayer. I use AudioCatalyst version 2.1, from 1999.)
- WinZip (Currently at version 11, I use version 10.)
You’ll get my legacy versions when you pry them out of my cold, dead hard drive.
July 31st, 2008 at 4:50 pm
I know what what you mean… I still use WordPerfect 8, and Quick Books 2000, Microsoft Office 2000. If it works, and does the job I ask it to do, I see no reason to change it. I did just upgrade this year from Windows 2000 Professional to XP Professional. But my husband still uses 2000, and it was difficult to get him to upgrade from the old Windows 3.11, as that was what he knew how to use and didn’t want to change.
August 2nd, 2008 at 5:55 pm
My memory [brain] might be failing but i thought that we
’sink to our Highest level of incompetence”
well thats what I have done!
I better look that up.
August 2nd, 2008 at 6:04 pm
No, you have it backwards, Skip!
If you hadn’t skipped school to practice with the Accused the day Professor Jeffrey Victor taught us about The Peter Principle, you could have kept that job on the line at the tool factory (or was it the furniture factory?) in Jamestown, and might be up to middle management by now.
Maybe you would have risen higher in corporate American and not had to become an ex-pat commie pinko fag living in bliss and love. You could be on your third marriage and second liver by now, but instead, you fell to your level of INcompetence and honed it to a sharp stick of love, still rockin’ the unfree world.
by the way…..
Debra Jean and I are still waiting for our invitation to the Olympics, in the “freestyle married love” competition. Can you please put in a word for us? Maybe it got lost in the mail.
August 4th, 2008 at 4:32 pm
Gee it looks like it all worked out for the best then!
Good news Sport-0 ! The Olympic BDSM Competition is a go!
[use only regulation-size Ping-pong paddles...] (*:
=Coach.