"Most observers see free software development as a vine--and not a particularly pretty one. They watch as the code for various free software projects extends tendrils in odd directions, puts down roots wherever it finds a friendly resting point, and generally seems to grow with no thought or planning. Linux, for instance, was criticized a few weeks ago for lacking a 'roadmap.'
"True, few free software projects can boast a formal structure of user requirements, schedules, test plans, and so forth. But does this mean that user requirements are not specified, that the software does not benefit from thorough testing, and that in general there is no point of contact between open source and traditional software engineering...?"
