Before we take a closer look at Visual Basic 5, we need to examine several more general factors: priorities, technological progress, and overall project organization. Without understanding and controlling these factors, the best developers in the world aren’t able to avoid producing defects. These issues are not really Visual Basic 5–specific—their effect is more on the whole development process. To extend the bug/beastie analogy onto even shakier ground, these are the real gargoyles of the bug world. Their presence permeates a whole project, and if left unrecognized or untamed they can do severe and ongoing damage.