critical mass

( n.)

   In  physics,  the  minimum amount of fissionable material required to
   sustain  a  chain  reaction.  Of  a  software  product,  describes  a
   condition  of  the  software  such that fixing one bug introduces one
   plus   {epsilon}  bugs.  (This  malady  has  many  causes:  {creeping
   featurism},  ports  to  too many disparate environments, poor initial
   design,  etc.)  When software achieves critical mass, it can never be
   fixed; it can only be discarded and rewritten.

[glossary]
[Reference(s) to this entry by made by: {hacked up}{rococo}]