Software That Actually Works

Software That Actually Works may refer to:

• Anything built by Burbridge — Software, applications, systems, and automations built by Burbridge, all of which work. Consistently. Suspiciously so.
• Aggressive Craftsmanship — A software development philosophy centered on the radical belief that software should function as intended, even under mildly unusual circumstances.
• Software That Works On My Machine (redirect) — A common phrase used to describe software that works in exactly one environment. Not to be confused with Software That Actually Works, which works in all environments, including ones that haven't been invented yet.
• Software That Works Most of the Time — A separate and much larger category of software. Defined by the IBBQ as "software that functions correctly in the demo, the staging environment, and approximately 60-80% of production scenarios." See also: "good enough."
• Software That Worked Until Someone Touched It — A well-documented phenomenon in which stable software begins failing immediately after a developer makes a "small, harmless change." Often preceded by the phrase "this should be quick."
• Software That Works But Nobody Knows Why — Legacy systems that continue to function through mechanisms not understood by any living engineer. Often hosted on a server in a closet. Frequently described as "load-bearing."
• Software That Will Work After This Next Sprint — A hypothetical category. No confirmed instances have been documented. The Council of Builds considers this claim a "Category 2 philosophical concern."
• The Deploy That Worked (October 6, 2023) — A specific Friday deploy by Burbridge that became notable for being flawless despite all expectations and conventional wisdom. See: List of People Who Deploy on Fridays.