Proof In Pudding

Just a story from the trenches, but it probably demonstrates the idea.

I had to design a real-time financial market data-feed upgrade, but we were running into serious platform constraints. So I picked up a Berkeley Unix 4.2 manual, found out about sockets, and quietly (also see SneakInNewTechnologies and RunSilentRunDeep?) implemented the system in full client/server style. My boss had told me to 'not bother' when I had suggested it, but using rsh across machines and stdin and stdout was not going to cut it.

When I had it done, I inquired when we could cut over to the new system. The reaction was: 'What new system?'

'Oh, the one I just finished and tested.' Shortly afterward, the new system became not only the backbone of the real-time quote system, but served to template a number of other very successful client/server applications.

Sneaky at the time, but my boss could not argue with a system that worked, especially when it solved problems he was just putting off.

--DavidCymbala

See ProofInPuddingEtymology