in that spirit I released open-source .NET platform for daytraders: http://tradelink.googlecode.com Trade with it daily. In development for a year. Full library plus about 7 example applications (chart/backtest/quote window/etc). It has about 20% code coverage from unit tests.
I have never seen a spec. I wonder how slow things would get done if an IBM or NASA type development life cycle was used at trading firm.
FYI, Redhat is in Russia. Due to 70 years of Communist rule their programming standards are nothing like Western non-governmental programming culture.
I can recommend book here Ed Sullivan "Under Pressure and On Time". In some projects if you do not follow specifications you will fail the entire project. In other projects it may be not so, may be you need "inspiration" to do something. RR
FYI Jerry030 as a manager failed on many projects. And his programmers were not able to prove their rights decided to introduce "major bugs in the source code".
Acutally RedHat, that is you own invention. If you reread my posts you'll see that I said I knew of such things not that I was their manager. If you wan't to be respected in a American culture you'll have to drop the manufactured reality that was typlical of Pravda and look at what is real. Pretending to believe and act on illusion is what ended the Soviet Union
i think in 99% of cases classic software specifications delivered to a programmer to merely type up are for CYA purposes only. Then the programmer or program manager can say I followed the spec when something unexpected occurs (which always happens). In the non-outsourced world "specs" are a fluid discussion between everyone using the software.
I know little about you, only your incorrect posts and primitive view of how software is developed in America, while I know a great deal about the flaws of the Soviet system. In America we have something called freedom of speech and lack the KGB so we can say as we please.