Software aging

Programs, like people, get old. We can't prevent aging, but we can understand its causes, take steps to limits its effects, temporarily reverse some of the damage it has caused, and prepare for the day when the software is no longer viable. A sign that the software engineering profession has matured will be that we lose our preoccupation with the first release and focus on the long-term health of our products. Researchers and practitioners must change their perception of the problems of software development. Only then will software engineering deserve to be called "engineering".<>