Workaround

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File:Miles Glacier Bridge, damage and kludge, 1984.jpg
Part of the Miles Glacier Bridge, with a temporary repair after a March 1964 earthquake and was not permanently repaired until July 2004
File:Path of least resistance.jpg
Barriers installed to slow down cyclists have been bypassed by creating a desire path so that they do not have to brake, thus showing a literal example of a workaround and the path of least resistance

A workaround is a bypass of a recognized problem or limitation in a system or policy.[1] A workaround is typically a temporary fix[2][3] 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[4][5] in their creation.

Typically they are considered brittle[6] 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.[7]

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.[8]

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."[9]
  • 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.[10]

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.[11][12][13][14] The name "PDP" intentionally avoids the use of the term "computer".[15][16] 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,[17] new restrictions on maximum number of concurrent users and limitations on types of use[17][18] 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[19][20] and more expensive,[21] a Personal Sound Amplification Product (PSAP) is lower in price albeit more limited in capability.

See also

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References

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  1. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  2. ↑ "IT: a temporary method for dealing with a computer or software problem until a more permanent solution is found: One easy workaround is to ..."
  3. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  4. ↑ "It requires that social workers think 'outside the box' - outside their normal frames of ...
  5. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  6. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  7. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  8. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  9. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  10. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  11. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  12. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  13. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1". "The term PDP is an acronym for Programmable Data Processor ... the series was introduced by their manufacturer, Digital Equipment Corporation ..."
  14. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  15. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  16. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  17. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  18. ↑ restricting " universities that wanted to use the system for their internal business (e.g. student registration) as distinct from teaching and research
  19. ↑ Since a licensed audiologist is required
  20. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  21. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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