Cargo Cult Software - Revision history

Caseorganic at 11:04, 25 August 2026

2026-08-25T11:04:42Z

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-===Definition===
+=== Definition ===
-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.
+Cargo cult software describes software and software features that are designed to function like other software systems, but with none of the inherent functionality of those interfaces.
-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.
+For instance, a company may copy a user interface from Apple just because it is successful, without implementing 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 another example. It is the development of something without understanding the underlying intent or purpose of a current system.
-[[Category:Book Pages]]
+=== Where the metaphor comes from ===
-[[Category:Finished]]
-[[Category:Illustrated V2]]
+The metaphor entered technical usage through Richard Feynman's 1974 Caltech commencement address, "Cargo Cult Science," which described research that follows the outward forms of scientific method while missing the thing that makes it work.<ref name="rg">[https://www.researchgate.net/publication/373273626_Cargo_Cults Cargo Cults], ResearchGate.</ref> Steve McConnell applied it to software directly in "Cargo Cult Software Engineering," ''IEEE Software'', 2000, distinguishing organizations that follow a process because they understand what it achieves from those that follow it because successful organizations do.

Caseorganic at 02:57, 8 August 2012

2012-08-08T02:57:05Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:57, 8 August 2012
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	[[Category:Book Pages]]		[[Category:Book Pages]]
	[[Category:Finished]]		[[Category:Finished]]
			[[Category:Illustrated V2]]

Caseorganic at 21:37, 20 December 2011

2011-12-20T21:37:14Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:37, 20 December 2011
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	===Definition===		===Definition===
	Cargo Cult software describe software and software features that are designed to ~~fuction~~ 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.		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.

	[[Category:Book Pages]]		[[Category:Book Pages]]
	[[Category:Finished]]		[[Category:Finished]]

Caseorganic: moved Cargo Cult Programming to Cargo Cult Software

2011-12-20T00:55:51Z

moved Cargo Cult Programming to Cargo Cult Software

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:55, 20 December 2011
(No difference)

Caseorganic at 00:55, 20 December 2011

2011-12-20T00:55:43Z

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 ===Definition===
-Cargo Cult Programming is a term used to describe interfaces that are designed to look like other interfaces, but with none of the inherent functionality of those interfaces. 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.
+Cargo Cult software describe software and software features that are designed to fuction 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.
 [[Category:Book Pages]]
-[[Category:Unfinished]]
+[[Category:Finished]]

Caseorganic at 22:55, 30 November 2011

2011-11-30T22:55:55Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:55, 30 November 2011
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	[[Category:Book Pages]]		[[Category:Book Pages]]
	[[Category:~~Finished~~]]		[[Category:Unfinished]]

Caseorganic: moved Cargo Cult Development to Cargo Cult Programming

2011-07-04T04:06:16Z

moved Cargo Cult Development to Cargo Cult Programming

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:06, 4 July 2011
(No difference)

Caseorganic at 04:06, 4 July 2011

2011-07-04T04:06:06Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:06, 4 July 2011
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	Steve McConnell		Steve McConnell
	http://stevemcconnell.com/ieeesoftware/eic10.htm		http://stevemcconnell.com/ieeesoftware/eic10.htm

			http://www.softpanorama.org/Skeptics/cargo_cult_programming.shtml

			http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cargo_cult_programming

	[[Category:Book Pages]]		[[Category:Book Pages]]
	[[Category:Finished]]		[[Category:Finished]]

Caseorganic at 04:05, 4 July 2011

2011-07-04T04:05:45Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:05, 4 July 2011
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	===Definition===		===Definition===
	Cargo Cult ~~Development~~ is a term used to describe ~~the act of designing a product or service simply because something exists~~ 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 Programming is a term used to describe interfaces that are designed to look like other interfaces, but with none of the inherent functionality of those interfaces. 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.

	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.		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. It is the development of something without understanding the underlying intent or purpose of a current system.

			From the Editor
			IEEE Software, March/April 2000
			Cargo Cult Software Engineering

			Steve McConnell
			http://stevemcconnell.com/ieeesoftware/eic10.htm

	[[Category:Book Pages]]		[[Category:Book Pages]]
	[[Category:Finished]]		[[Category:Finished]]

Aaronpk at 00:54, 3 July 2011

2011-07-03T00:54:54Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:54, 3 July 2011
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	===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 Development is a term used to describe the act of designing a product or service simply because something exists 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.

	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.		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.

	[[Category:Book Pages]]		[[Category:Book Pages]]
	[[Category:Finished]]		[[Category:Finished]]