Introduction

The next time something goes terribly wrong when you’re using technology, console yourself that it’s happened to everyone!

Allen's Axiom

When all else fails, read the instructions.

Coffee's observation

If you do not have anything to say, a word processor
will not say it ~ Peter Coffee

Computer Rule

To err is human but to really foul things up requires a computer.

Freedman's Postulate

The reliability of computer systems is inversely related to the urgency of the task.

Freedman’s Law of Government Education Technology Initiatives

A new education technology initiative? Oh, it must be Tuesday

Gall's Second Principle of Systemantics

New systems generate new problems.

Gallois's Revelation

If you put tomfoolery into a computer, nothing comes out but tomfoolery. But this tomfoolery, having passed through a very expensive machine, is somehow ennobled, and no one dares to criticise it.

Gilb's 1st law of unreliability

Computers are unreliable, but humans are even more unreliable.

Gilb's 2nd Law of Unreliability

Any system which depends on human reliability is unreliable.

Gilb's 3rd Law of Unreliability

Undetectable errors are infinite in variety, in contrast to detectable errors, which, by definition, are limited. Investment in reliability will increase until it exceeds the probable cost of errors, or until someone insists on getting some useful work done.

These rules were coined by Thomas Gilb, a systems engineer.

Grosch's Law

Computing power increases as the square of the cost. If you want to do it twice as cheaply, you have to do it four times as fast.

Lubarsky's Law of Cybernetic Entomology

There's always one more bug.

Ninety-nine Rule of Project Schedules

The first ninety percent of the task takes ninety percent of the time, the last ten percent takes the other ninety percent.

Peers's Law

The solution to a problem changes the problem.

Richards' First Law of Data Security

Don't buy a computer.

Richards' Second Law of Data Security

If you do buy a computer, don't turn it on.

 

Rosenstock-Huessy's Law of Technology

All technology expands the space, contracts the time, and destroys the working group.

Sattingler's Principle

It works better if you plug it in. If it still doesn't work, switch it on.

Shipman's First Law

Digital literacy is inversely related to seniority within an organisation.

Shipman's Second Law

The length of time required for a task is inversely related to its simplicity.

Westheimer's Rule

To estimate the time it takes to do a task: estimate the time you think it should take, multiply by two, and change the unit of measure to the next highest unit. Thus we allocate two days for a one-hour task.

Thanks to David Harley for providing me with Richards’ rules.

This is an updated and expanded version of an article first published in InTegrate, March 1995.

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