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A comment on Bad code isn’t technical debt, it’s an unhedged call option. Parent comment

Re:Bad code isn’t technical debt, it’s an unhedged call option by briandear on Saturday December 20, 2014 @06:47PM (#8778402)
That's the home run point: you might not have to pay it back. That is exactly why the debt or credit card analogy doesn't hold. An uncovered call is exactly the correct metaphor. This isn't even high finance we're talking about, this is fundamental options stuff. I'm not sure I understand the resistance to using the uncovered call terminology as opposed to the highly innaccurate (but more Main Street comprehensible) "debt" analogy. Debt (aside from bankruptcy ALWAYS has to be repaid. Yet we all know that technical debt doesn't always have to be repaid. Debt is a terribly imprecise way of thinking about it.
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Re:Bad code isn’t technical debt, it’s an unhedged call option by mcherm on Sunday December 21, 2014 @03:39PM (#8780861)
> I'm not sure I understand the resistance to using the uncovered call terminology as opposed to the highly innaccurate (but more Main Street comprehensible) "debt" analogy.

Specifically, it is because the managers I am attempting to communicate with understand the concept of "debt" and do NOT understand the concept of "uncovered calls". I work at a bank and VERY few of the managers I need to explain things to would really understand uncovered calls. I would guess that people at other kinds of employers may find it even worse.

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Re:Bad code isn’t technical debt, it’s an unhedged call option by ams6110 on Sunday December 21, 2014 @04:09PM (#8780973)
Debt doesn't always have to be repaid. It can be refinanced and carried indefinitely. People do it all the time with mortgages. I know people who have lived in the same house for 15 years, but due to frequent refinancing and cashing out equity they still have 29 years left on their mortgage.
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Re:Bad code isn’t technical debt, it’s an unhedged call option by nutate on Saturday December 20, 2014 @11:36PM (#8778952)
Debt is a useful term, an "uncovered call" is a "debt security" http://www.investopedia.com/terms/d/debtsecurity.asp

So porque no los dos?

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