"Book author" is at least closer to the truth. There are editions and old copies floating out there, it's hard to estimate completion dates, and authors have many of the same copyright problems. The difference is that software must live in a dynamic and shifting 'house' where everything gets rearranged by vendors, probed for weaknesses by attackers, and new features are constantly demanded by the users. Solutions to all of this are tacked on as an endless stream of appendices. Throw in patents for extra insanity. Both analogies strain to fit this reality.

Edit: That brings me back to the article. "Finishing software" just means we should act more like authors. Very hard to achieve when you think of the differences above.