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    -2000 Lines of code (2004)

    (www.folklore.org)
    542 points xeonmc | 11 comments | 25 Jun 25 19:53 UTC | HN request time: 0.84s | source | bottom
    1. abraxas ◴[25 Jun 25 23:13 UTC] No.44382663[source]▶
    An old Dilbert cartoon had the pointy haired boss declare monetary rewards for every fixed bug in their product. Wally went back to his desk murmuring "today I'm going to code me a minivan!"
    replies(5): >>44382793 #>>44383674 #>>44385443 #>>44389596 #>>44390868 #
    2. LordDragonfang ◴[25 Jun 25 23:34 UTC] No.44382793[source]▶
    https://i.imgur.com/tyXXh1d.png

    My manager has it pinned on the breakroom wall.

    3. bravesoul2 ◴[26 Jun 25 02:20 UTC] No.44383674[source]▶
    Sorry what's the minivan reference?
    replies(3): >>44383895 #>>44383938 #>>44386003 #
    4. angus-g ◴[26 Jun 25 03:14 UTC] No.44383895[source]▶
    I assume a cycle of write bug -> fix bug -> get paid until they can afford a new car!
    5. amoshebb ◴[26 Jun 25 03:26 UTC] No.44383938[source]▶
    it's just a stand-in for "expensive but relatable purchase". He's saying "I'm about to write so many bugs that the sum reward will be in the tens of thousands"
    replies(1): >>44385989 #
    6. mojo74 ◴[26 Jun 25 08:41 UTC] No.44385443[source]▶
    The Perverse incentive: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perverse_incentive
    7. windward ◴[26 Jun 25 10:31 UTC] No.44385989{3}[source]▶
    It's also foolish. Any true PHB has caps on bonuses linked to output that would be too low to enable a minivan.
    8. bombcar ◴[26 Jun 25 10:33 UTC] No.44386003[source]▶
    It would have been a sports car but Wally’s not the type.
    replies(1): >>44388616 #
    9. pjdesno ◴[26 Jun 25 15:55 UTC] No.44388616{3}[source]▶
    The strip came out in 1995, at the peak of the minivan boom, with around 1.3M units sold that year.
    10. boboddy ◴[26 Jun 25 17:45 UTC] No.44389596[source]▶
    Now I'm wondering if this story[0] I read long ago is just a written form of the comic, or if any company actually tried this.

    [0]: https://thedailywtf.com/articles/The-Defect-Black-Market

    11. synecdoche ◴[26 Jun 25 20:16 UTC] No.44390868[source]▶
    Goodhart's law - When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure