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Rules and Laws
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| HOARE'S LAW OF LARGE PROBLEMS |
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"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 |
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"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) |
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"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 |
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"As soon as you mention something ... if it's good, it goes away ... if it's bad, it happens." |
| GORDON'S FIRST LAW |
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"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 |
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"If the facts do not conform to the theory, they must be disposed of." |
| SEGAL'S LAW |
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"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 |
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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 |
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He who has the gold makes the rules. |
| BOREN'S FIRST RULE |
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"When in charge, ponder." |
| BOREN'S SECOND RULE |
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"When in trouble, delegate." |
| BOREN'S THIRD RULE |
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"When in doubt, mumble." |
| BALLANCE'S LAW | "How long a minute is depends on which sides of the bathroom door you're on." |