I used to say "writing software ain't like digging ditches; you don't get steady progress out for steady human-hours in" until I had a client who dug a lot of d

I used to say "writing software ain't like digging ditches; you don't get steady progress out for steady human-hours in" until I had a client who dug a lot of ditches. They informed me that ditch-digging also goes in fits and starts. Ever since, I've had to say "writing software is like digging ditches." Although, truth be told, ever since then I simply tell this whole story.