Difference between revisions of "Cargo Cult Software"

From Cyborg Anthropology
Jump to: navigation, search
 
(8 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
 
===Definition===
 
===Definition===
−
Cargo Cult Development is a term used to describe the act of designing a product or service simply because something exists out here that is successful, but the underlying purpose or use of the service is not developer. It can be seen in people who ask contracts to design a social network. Something may look like a social network but not look or function like it in the same way.  
+
Cargo Cult software describe software and software features that are designed to function like other software systems, but with none of the inherent functionality of those interfaces.  
  
−
It is based on the idea that people would worship an object that fall from the sky and attempt to recreate it , but that that object would only look like the original, and not function like the original. The number of people hiring web developers with the intent of "having them program the next Facebook" is an example of cargo culture development. Development without understanding the underlying intent or purpose of a current system.  
+
Cargo cults are based on the historical story that some indigenous tribes would worship objects that fell from the sky and attempt to recreate them. The recreation might aesthetically match the original, yet lack its functionality. For instance, a company may copy a user interface from Apple just because it is successful, but not actually implement any of the interactions or design consistency anywhere else in their application.  
 +
 
 +
The number of people hiring web developers with the intent of "having them program the next Facebook" is an example of cargo cult software. It is the development of something without understanding the underlying intent or purpose of a current system.  
  
 
[[Category:Book Pages]]
 
[[Category:Book Pages]]
 
[[Category:Finished]]
 
[[Category:Finished]]
 +
[[Category:Illustrated V2]]

Latest revision as of 02:57, 8 August 2012

Definition

Cargo Cult software describe software and software features that are designed to function like other software systems, but with none of the inherent functionality of those interfaces.

Cargo cults are based on the historical story that some indigenous tribes would worship objects that fell from the sky and attempt to recreate them. The recreation might aesthetically match the original, yet lack its functionality. For instance, a company may copy a user interface from Apple just because it is successful, but not actually implement any of the interactions or design consistency anywhere else in their application.

The number of people hiring web developers with the intent of "having them program the next Facebook" is an example of cargo cult software. It is the development of something without understanding the underlying intent or purpose of a current system.

Retrieved from "http://cyborganthropology.com/wiki/index.php?title=Cargo_Cult_Software&oldid=6120"