naive perceptions about software development (idea)

Brooks's Law states that, no, programmer time is not fungible. In the terms Brooks used, ``Adding manpower to a late software project makes it later''.

For more information on this and other naïve perceptions programmers, software engineers, and management have about software development, see The Mythical Man Month by Fred Brooks, and `No Silver Bullet', by the same author. Brooks was a manager over the development of OS/360---receiving the 1999 Turing Award for his work on OS/360 and for his contributions to our understanding of software engineering---so he knows what he's talking about.