Theory Of Kludges

Principles explaining the phenomena of computer systems that are constituted of poorly matched elements or of elements originally intended for other applications, a clumsy or inelegant solution to a problem.

Stan Kelly Bootle's "Devil's DP Dictionary" had an excellent two page presentation of the TheoryOfKludges. It was a glorious parody of academic computer science research. A key part of the theory was that every kludge k has a unique anti-kludge k' that undoes it, plus a large number of counter-kludges k* that didn't quite undo it correctly. The theory proceeds to the consequences of doing a kludge, applying a false anti-kludge, and then the correct anti-kludge = x.k().k*().k'(). When in fact you should have done a x.k().k*().k*'().k'()...

(all from memory) -- RichardBotting