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From: det@hawkmoon.MN.ORG (Derek E. Terveer)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.sysv386
Subject: Re: '386 Unix Wars
Message-ID: <1991Jan11.232927.6175@hawkmoon.MN.ORG>
Date: 11 Jan 91 23:29:27 GMT
References: <1990Dec30.193929.16181@kithrup.COM> <1990Dec31.213625.5481@Veritas.COM> <1991Jan01.000527.14406@kithrup.COM> <2861@cirrusl.UUCP>
Organization: Home System (One of the Eternal Champions); Eagan, MN, 55123-2507, USA
Lines: 27

Please note that i'm not arguing against you because i disagree but, rather,
because i'm playing devil's advocate here...

dhesi%cirrusl@oliveb.ATC.olivetti.com (Rahul Dhesi) writes:

>This is not as costly as it sounds.  If the software is properly
>written, there will be very few bugs in the production release.
>Software doesn't last very long -- maybe two or three years at most.
>The technology is changing too quickly.  Sure any vendor with a decent
>product who isn't undercapitalized can afford to fix bugs for two
>years.

But, if the ephemeralness of a software product is recognised by the bean
counters and/or the managers, they will most likely be less than enthusiastic
about fixing bugs, especially non-critical ones, i.e., can't boot.  For
example, by analogy, if you know that your car will be replaced with a new one
in two years (or perhaps even that your type of car (gasoline, etc) will be
obsolete in that time frame), you will probably be reluctant to spend $1000 on
a new paint job to fix that rusted body or to get those rips repaired in the
upholstery.

The human species seems to be pretty adept at procrastination and pushing the
"just getting by" envelope.
-- 
Derek "Tigger" Terveer	det@hawkmoon.MN.ORG - MNFHA, NCS - UMN Women's Lax, MWD
I am the way and the truth and the light, I know all the answers; don't need
your advice.  -- "I am the way and the truth and the light" -- The Legendary Pink Dots