Interesting article on CNN about software testing. An interesting bullet point:

"Don't be in a rush to try out new versions of software because they are frequently buggy. If you do install an upgrade, make sure you really need the new features provided."

Made I chuckle a bit. It is interesting playing a game that has such frequent patching, testing issues, etc.

www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/pte...index.html (http://www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/ptech/08/07/software.glitches/index.html)

All software is that way nowadays, not just games.

It seems like every other day XP is telling me it's ready to install a new update it just downloaded and almost every one of them is a security fix or bug fix.

The advent of high speed internet access has made developers not care if their programs are buggy any more. They can just release a 50mb patch and fix stuff later.

I remember the first computer game I played on the IBM platform was Masters of Magic. It was a great game but had one bug that kept cropping up. I called the tech support number (toll free back in those days) and he told me how to connect to their BBS and get the patch to fix it. It was like a 300k file, but I was on a 2400 baud modem so it took quite a while to download :)

Ahh, those were the days... That's back when games came on 1 or 2 floppies. Now they come on 3-4 CDs and patches are in the tens of MBs :)

<blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr>"I'm unaware of any company that would shortchange the customer in their speed to get the software to market," said Jonathan Thompson, vice president of the Washington-based trade group, which has more than 650 members.[/quote]

Ok, that got me laughing irl.

Oh god, someone is completely out of touch with reality. I've worked with companies that were so deperate for cash they've shoved some amazingly stupid things out the door.

<blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr>I've worked with companies that were so deperate for cash they've shoved some amazingly stupid things out the door. [/quote]

And I think I've used some of those products :mad:

So... it's your fault? :)

<blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr>And I think I've used some of those products[/quote]
And I've built some of those products...muwhahahhahaha!!!!

Yesh! Ship it, say I, ebil maestro of marketing and sales! You development weinies have no clue when your software is ready!! It's ready now! Yes, yes!! Ship it!!

...

Usualy it's not the developers who are the ones who want it ship it out the door now. We all know it's not finished, and needs another few months to be finished. However, those people writing our paychecks tell us they need it now and you better have someting ready in two days or else... Usualy ends up shipping at that point ready or not :P

Well, as they say, build better mouse trap... There is lots of room for the upstart to create a low bug game. I see this as an opportunity!