The extreme programming bandwagon: revolution or just revolting?

摘要

The software development field is constantly advancing; all programmers know that and most of us embrace it. Indeed, proponents of extreme programming (XP) must embrace change vehemently. While the paper's title suggests cynicism, thus leading to possible confusion over its thesis, the author likes the software industry's evolution and maturation. Still, he is concerned about some aspects of the new agile methodologies. He concludes that there are a multitude of development scenarios where agile approaches can excel, but at least an equal number where it is destined to fail. For example, XP's proponents openly admit that XP does not tend itself to mission- or safety-critical applications, and large teams will find the oral communication mechanism difficult to implement. The key here is to know your options and understand when you should use one over another.