banana problem

from Jargon File (4.4.4, 14 Aug 2003)

banana problem
 n.

   [from the story of the little girl who said "I know how to spell
   `banana', but I don't know when to stop"]. Not knowing where or when
   to bring a production to a close (compare {fencepost error}). One may
   say there is a banana problem of an algorithm with poorly defined or
   incorrect termination conditions, or in discussing the evolution of a
   design that may be succumbing to featuritis (see also {creeping
   elegance}, {creeping featuritis}). See item 176 under {HAKMEM}, which
   describes a banana problem in a {Dissociated Press} implementation.
   Also, see {one-banana problem} for a superficially similar but
   unrelated usage.

from The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (8 July 2008)

banana problem

   (From the story of the little girl who said "I know how to
   spell "banana", but I don't know when to stop").  Not knowing
   where or when to bring a production to a close (compare
   {fencepost error}).  One may say "there is a banana problem"
   of an algorithm with poorly defined or incorrect termination
   conditions, or in discussing the evolution of a design that
   may be succumbing to featuritis (see also {creeping elegance},
   {creeping featuritis}).  See item 176 under {HAKMEM}, which
   describes a banana problem in a {Dissociated Press}
   implementation.  Also, see {one-banana problem} for a
   superficially similar but unrelated usage.

   (1995-01-31)