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From: fjs@bonz.enet.dec.com (Jay Shields)
Newsgroups: comp.software-eng
Subject: Re: Effort estimation based on language
Keywords: cost estimation, effort estimation, language
Message-ID: <1991Feb5.184526.19507@e2big.mko.dec.com>
Date: 5 Feb 91 18:45:26 GMT
References: <1900@blackbird.afit.af.mil>
Sender: guest@e2big.mko.dec.com (Guest (DECnet))
Reply-To: fjs@bonz.enet.dec.com (Jay Shields)
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
Lines: 32

jcardow@blackbird.afit.af.mil (James E. Cardow) writes:

>We are looking for a way to compare the effort to develop comparable 
>systems developed in different programming languages.  The comparison 
>is to improve the ability to project the cost based on analogy.  
>...
>Are there generalizations that can be made on 
>the order of saying for instance 'the effort to produce three lines 
>of assembly language is equal to the effort required to produce one 
>line of Ada?'

   Capers Jones gives values for comparison of effort to assembler for
about 25 languages
in his book "Programming Productivity" (McGraw-Hill, 1986). Of course,
assembly language
is therefore 1 - 1;  1 statement in ADA, however, is worth approx. 4.5
statements of assembler.
While these figures are of course approximate, they might be the
starting point you're
looking for. 
   In addition, the book talks about function points, which may provide
you with another 
way of comparing differing systems. It's worth checking out. Hope this
is what you're
looking for.

--
F. Jay Shields
Digital Equipment Corporation
Stow, MA
fjs@bonz.ogo.dec.com
(508) 496-8081