Workaround

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Part of the Miles Glacier Bridge, with a temporary repair after a 1964 March earthquake which was finally repaired in 2004 July.

A workaround is a bypass[1] of a recognized problem or limitation in a system or policy.[2] A workaround is typically a temporary fix[3][4] that implies that a genuine solution to the problem is needed. But workarounds are frequently as creative as true solutions, involving outside the box thinking[5][6] in their creation.

Typically they are considered brittle[7] in that they will not respond well to further pressure from a system beyond the original design. In implementing a workaround it is important to flag the change so as to later implement a proper solution.[8]

Placing pressure on a workaround may result in later system failures. For example, in computer programming workarounds are often used to address a problem or anti-pattern in a library, such as an incorrect return value. When the library is changed, the workaround may break the overall program functionality, effectively becoming an anti-pattern, since it may expect the older, wrong behaviour from the library.

Workarounds can also be a useful source of ideas for improvement of products or services.[9]

Legal workarounds

When the legal system places an obstacle in the form of a restriction or requirement, the law may provide a possible workaround. Laws intended to tap into what may seem to be deep pockets may lead to what are at least temporary solutions such as:

  • Since "most French workplace laws affect businesses with 50 or more employees... many French companies opt to employ only 49 people in avoidance of crippling legislations."[10]
  • An injunction against Microsoft regarding XML features and an easy technical workaround, a patent attorney suggested having two versions of MS Word, one with and one without the feature.[11]

Acronyms

Some well-known acronyms were created to work around bureaucratic or contracting restrictions:

  • PDP - The term was used to describe a computer by another name, due to contracting complications for purchasing or leasing computers. The term PDP (Programmed Data Processor or Programmable Data Processor) was a workaround.[12][13][14][15] The name "PDP" intentionally avoids the use of the term "computer".[16][17] PDPs were aimed at a market that could not afford larger computers.
  • GNU - GNU's Not UNIX. As AT&T's prices for academic licensing and use of UNIX increased,[18] new restrictions on maximum number of concurrent users and limitations on types of use[18][19] created a motivation for an alternative: a work-alike workaround. Among the better known ones are:
  • PSAP. By contrast with hearing aids, the sale of which is more regulated[20][21] and more expensive,[22] a Personal Sound Amplification Product (PSAP) is lower in price albeit more limited in capability.

See also


References

  1. ↑ "Workaround/Bypass on 3900 length limit on formula field". https://salesforce.stackexchange.com/questions/165287/workaround-bypass-on-3900-length-limit-on-formula-field. 
  2. ↑ Arif Wibisono, Ibrahim Alhassan, David Sammon, Ciara Heavin, Gaye Kiely, Erma Suryani (2019). "Understanding Theory of Workarounds in Practice". Procedia Computer Science 161 (3): 187–194. doi:10.1016/j.procs.2019.11.114. 
  3. ↑ "IT: a temporary method for dealing with a computer or software problem until a more permanent solution is found: One easy workaround is to ..."
  4. ↑ "work around - Definition". https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/work-around. 
  5. ↑ "It requires that social workers think 'outside the box' - outside their normal frames of ...
  6. ↑ Mel Gray; John Coates; Michael Yellow Bird (2008). ndigenous Social Work Around the World: Towards Culturally Relevant. ISBN 978-0754648383. https://books.google.com/books?isbn=0754648389. 
  7. ↑ "Workaround [#1176558"]. 2 June 2011. https://www.drupal.org/node/1176558. 
  8. ↑ "How to Fix the 'A [?' Autocorrect Bug in iOS 11 When Typing 'i'"]. https://ios.gadgethacks.com/how-to/fix-a-autocorrect-bug-ios-11-when-typing-i-out-your-iphone-0181016. 
  9. ↑ "Can't You Just Ask People?". TheAnthroGuys. http://theanthroguys.com/2009/09/17/can%E2%80%99t-you-just-ask-people/. 
  10. ↑ Anurag Harsh (2017). Thinking Tech: Thoughts On the Key Technological Trends of Our Times. ISBN 978-1483595900. https://books.google.com/books?isbn=1483595900. 
  11. ↑ "'Easy workaround' could solve Microsoft Word's legal woes, says expert". August 14, 2009. https://www.reuters.com/article/urnidgns852573c40069388000257612003e86b7/easy-workaround-could-solve-microsoft-words-legal-woes-says-expert-idUS265507465920090814. 
  12. ↑ Montgomery, H. E.; Uccellini, L. W. (October 1985). VAS Demonstration. https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19860004398.pdf. 
  13. ↑ "New Market Disruption: The DEC Programmable Data Processor". http://www.innovation.seas.harvard.edu/files/Disruptive_technology.ppt. 
  14. ↑ R Belcher (2013). Computers in Analytical Chemistry. p. 153. ISBN 978-1483285627. https://books.google.com/books?isbn=1483285626.  "The term PDP is an acronym for Programmable Data Processor ... the series was introduced by their manufacturer, Digital Equipment orporation ..."
  15. ↑ "The History of Digital Equipment Corporation". https://digital.com/about/dec. 
  16. ↑ Henderson, edited by Rebecca M.; Newell, Richard G. (2011). Accelerating energy innovation : insights from multiple sectors. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. p. 180. ISBN 978-0226326832. 
  17. ↑ Huang, Han-Way (2014). The atmel AVR microcontroller : MEGA and XMEGA in assembly and C. Australia ; United Kingdom: Delmar Cengage Learning. p. 4. ISBN 978-1133607298. 
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 "Old licenses and prices". https://www.bell-labs.com/usr/dmr/www/licenses.html. 
  19. ↑ restricting " universities that wanted to use the system for their internal business (e.g. student registration) as distinct from teaching and research
  20. ↑ Since a licensed audiologist is required
  21. ↑ Neil DiSarno (22 June 2014). "Pros and Cons of Inexpensive Hearing Aids Called PSAPs". Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/articles/pros-and-cons-of-inexpensive-hearing-aids-called-psaps-1403470481. 
  22. ↑ Kochkin, Sergei, Ph.D.. "MarkeTrak VIII: Utilization of PSAPs and Direct-Mail Hearing Aids by People with Hearing Impairment". http://www.betterhearing.org/pdfs/PSAP_study.pdf. 



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