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Rules and Laws

 

HOARE'S LAW OF LARGE PROBLEMS

"Inside every large problem is a small problem struggling to get out."

HOWE'S LAW
"Every man has a scheme that will not work."
ETORRE'S OBSERVATION

"The other line moves faster."

NONRECIPROCAL LAWS OF EXPECTATIONS

Negative expectations yield negative results. Positive expectations yield negative results.

IMBESI'S LAW

"In order for something to become clean, something else must become dirty."

FREEMAN'S EXTENSION

"...but you can get everything dirty without getting anything clean."

ZYMURGY'S FIRST LAW OF EVOLVING SYSTEMS DYNAMICS

"Once you open a can of worms, the only way to recan them is to use a larger can."

SKINNER'S CONSTANT (FLANAGAN'S FINAGLING FACTOR)

"That quantity which, when multiplied by, divided by, added to, or subtracted from the answer you get, gives you the answer you should have got."

THE UNSPEAKABLE LAW

"As soon as you mention something ... if it's good, it goes away ... if it's bad, it happens."

GORDON'S FIRST LAW

"If a research project is not worth doing at all, it is not worth doing well."

LAW of the Search

"The first place to look for anything is the last place you would expect to find it."

MARYANN'S LAW

"You can always find what you're not looking for."

MAIER'S LAW

"If the facts do not conform to the theory, they must be disposed of."

SEGAL'S LAW

"A man with one watch knows what time it is. A man with two watches is never sure."

THE NINETY-NINETY RULE OF PROJECT SCHEDULES

The first 90 % of the task takes 90 % of the time, and the last 10% takes the other 90 %

THE GOLDEN RULE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

He who has the gold makes the rules.

BOREN'S FIRST RULE

"When in charge, ponder."

BOREN'S SECOND RULE

"When in trouble, delegate."

BOREN'S THIRD RULE

"When in doubt, mumble."

BALLANCE'S LAW

"How long a minute is depends on which sides of the bathroom door you're on."