Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!hsi!stpstn!cox
From: cox@stpstn.UUCP (Brad Cox)
Newsgroups: comp.software-eng
Subject: Re: Identifying high quality software development efforts
Message-ID: <5728@stpstn.UUCP>
Date: 26 Oct 90 21:39:18 GMT
References: <1869@shodha.enet.dec.com>
Reply-To: cox@stpstn.UUCP (Brad Cox)
Distribution: na
Organization: Stepstone
Lines: 20

In article <1869@shodha.enet.dec.com> marks@ssdevo.enet.dec.com (Randy Marks) writes:
>I am trying to identify companies (or groups within companies) which
>are producing very high quality software.

Contact the authors for a copy of "Software Technology in Japan"; Frank McGarry,
Code 552, NASA/GSFC and Prof. Victor R. Basili, Institute for Advanced Computer
Studies; Univ of Md, College Park Md 20742 301 454 5497 basili@mimsy.umd.edu.

Specific examples: U.S: typical 1 to 3 errors/KSLOC, .01 to .1 for critical
software; Japan: some companies report .008 errors/KSLOC. 

In other words, error rates one to two *orders*of*magnitude* less *in*spite*of*
being many years behind in software technology.

Of course, everyone knows that what happened to automobile manufacturing
could never happen in software. Hmmm...
-- 

Brad Cox; cox@stepstone.com; CI$ 71230,647; 203 426 1875
The Stepstone Corporation; 75 Glen Road; Sandy Hook CT 06482