Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!clyde.concordia.ca!uunet!samsung!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!emory!stiatl!srchtec!johnb From: johnb@srchtec.UUCP (John Baldwin) Newsgroups: comp.software-eng Subject: Re: recap so far Keywords: productivity, code size, estimation, metrics Message-ID: <141@srchtec.UUCP> Date: 20 Jul 90 22:01:00 GMT References: <31558@cup.portal.com> <27199@athertn.Atherton.COM> <1990Jul19.154906.20518@newcastle.ac.uk> Organization: search technology, inc. Lines: 27 Sure, software can't be estimated with accuracy, nor can it be measured so. That doesn't make it worthless to pursue software metrics with higher accuracy and precision than we have now. Nothing in life is risk-free; all that management really needs or should want to know is "have we done an adequate analysis of the risks involved, and minimized them to the maximum benefit?" (I'll leave it up to the individual managers and companies to supply their own definitions of "benefit" ;-)) A very good book which, IMHO, builds upon and surpasses the work of the "COCOMO era" is "Programming Productivity" (by T. Capers Jones, McGraw-Hill 1986, ISBN 0-07-032811-0). In it, he gives a synopsis of what he's found through analysis of VOLUMES of data about various software projects, big and small. It is worthwhile reading. In fact, the author did a heavy-duty O/R-style analysis of the data he gathered, and started his own firm (Software Productivity Research, in Cambridge, Mass.) to build and market an estimating tool based on the model he derived. I've seen the demo disk for the PC version; the full-blown estimator sells for $20K... if he can sell enough of those to stay in business, it must be good. (There's a "junior" version available for "only" $5K). -- John T. Baldwin | Disclaimer: search technology, inc. | Some people claim I never existed. Norcross, Georgia | (real .sig under construction johnb@srchtec.uucp | at Starfleet Orbital Navy Yards ;-)