Talk:The Chicken and the Pig

Untitled
This is my first Wikipedia article. I love Wikipedia and use it all the time to provide background material when proposals or suggestions.

I often use the fable of The Chicken and the Pig to help people understand the importance of having "pigs" on a project. People are curious about this fable and I've found myself wishing for a Wikipedia entry to refer to. Surprised that there wasn't one, I've decided to "be bold."

I'm sure this first attempt violates all kinds of expectations for Wikipedia -- please help me learn.

Rstata 19:56, 1 October 2006 (UTC)

"The analogy has been criticized for being inappropriate[1]. "Pig" team members are not sacrificed (literally or figuratively) in order to produce the product," -- obviously the OP never developed code. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 129.33.49.251 (talk) 17:43, 28 July 2009 (UTC)

Using software development terms
The article doesn't talk about software development at all, but then suddenly in the end says:


 * while perhaps not working on the code directly, are often as critical or more critical to the project than the people directly performing the work, e.g., writing the software

Now, this may be a fine example, but can someone please edit it to make clear this is just one example from a specific domain area? Or, if this fable is used only in software project, then please mention that. --Jonik (talk) 13:47, 29 March 2010 (UTC)

"Chickens and Pigs" story is all about software development. Maybe it should be made clear in the first paragraph. AverageTurkishJoe (talk) 03:18, 12 June 2014 (UTC)

Brian Gould story
This has now been in and out a couple of times. As noted on my edit, it has no citation, it's not particularly memorable, and it looks like a bit of a puff for either the speaker or the company at whose event he was apeaking. Like most people I've heard the story used by numbers of speakers; I think the examples (like the agile software and, to a lesser extent, the sports one) need to add something worthwhile in order to be notable. Matruman (talk) 13:10, 26 March 2014 (UTC)

First heard the story
The first time I heard the story was when I worked at NASA. Astronauts were pigs and almost all of the rest of us were chickens / roosters.

Recently I had an ICD implanted and realized that I too am now a pig. I sincerely hope that the programming team for the ICD had a lot of pigs, and not a lot of the others.

Yes the programmers may not be financially at risk, but in the off chance my ICD malfunctions who will be sacrificed (besides me)? Those financially at risk will lawyer up and the programmer will get the blame. Dbasnett (talk) 13:42, 14 April 2010 (UTC)

In agile methodology the customer is more like a "Cow". That is you forcibly inseminate the cow then milk the cow for all they are worth. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 203.94.56.164 (talk) 15:31, 21 November 2010 (UTC)

tidy up
I clarified the story, as it was difficult to read with the exceptions and variations. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Garionh (talk • contribs) 17:53, 19 October 2011 (UTC)

Rooster
The rooster part seems more of a joke and has no direct source referenced. I propose it be removed. Sm5574 (talk) 21:01, 11 December 2015 (UTC)
 * It's been nearly a month with no dissent; removing it. Sm5574 (talk) 00:43, 7 January 2016 (UTC) — Preceding unsigned comment added by 167.107.191.217 (talk)