I believe it was here, though a search has resulted in no matches, that someone had either as part of their post or in their signature, the three stages of a system. (I'm hoping it was on this forum.) I thought it was really well done, and when I went to find it again, I've been unable to.

Though I go to other message boards, I'm sure it was here. And I'm really hoping it wasn't a dream. (Which I think means I've got problems.)

I don't remember it clearly, but it's something like:

1. The system is created to fulfill a purpose.
2. The system grows to encompass multiple purposes.
3. The system becomes too large to fulfill any purpose and exists to be self-sustaining.

Any chance anyone knows what I'm talking about?

 

You mean besides describing most governments?

 

I'm not sure I have heard it put quite this way before, but this pattern describes the life cycle of a large software system.

The original software is written to satisfy a need. If it does that reasonably well, it is expanded to deal with other, related problems. Finally, it gets so firmly entrenched that it is difficult to get rid of it - even if one knew how.

 

Yeah, that does sound like it.