Everyone has them, no one likes them, and we all deal with them: BUGS - software bugs that is. Nothing is perfect, and with today's software reaching into millions of lines of code, a few mistakes are bound to creep in. Fortunately, modern and robust programming techniques have eradicated a lot of common mistakes, or at least relegated them to annoyances rather than show stoppers - as long as your developer is following a regimented development cycle.

As both a programmer and a user, I've been on both sides of the development fence - and program bugs are a fact of life.  I am much more tolerant of bugs once I started to understand the complex nature of software development.

If you are contemplating having custom software developed, or are in the midst of a development project, here are a few common-sense tips to help you get what you pay for - software sans bugs:

• DON'T BE LATE - Participate in the requirements and functions phase early on - don't wait until the last minute to tell the developer about features you need.
• KISS PRINCIPLE - Keep the requirements simple - you only want the software to do the minimum required to do the job.
• TAKE CONTROL - Let the users decide how the software is going to look, feel and act, not the programmers.
• NO GOLD PLATING - Once decided, stick to the original specifications - new features can always be added in subsequent versions.
• SOLID FOUNDATION - Evaluate the developer's technical architecture diagram. This makes sure the application won't fall apart when you start loading it down with data. If you don't have the skills to evaluate it, get an independent opinion.
• BE A PLAYER - Insist on participating in a BETA testing program and commit to doing so. Early testing of product in your real world (with your equipment) will expose bugs sooner.
• CHECK-UP - Insist that the developer give you regular progress reports with a demonstration of work-in-progress.

Following a few simple rules will insure you use the fly swatter to kill bugs in your house, not in your software.

To learn more about our software development services that use the latest in Rich Internet Application (RIA) techniques, you can contact me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it