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From: dgary@ecsvax.UUCP (D Gary Grady)
Newsgroups: net.unix
Subject: Re: Re: IBM to support UNIX on 4300 (Mongol hordes)
Message-ID: <766@ecsvax.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 26-Feb-85 09:45:04 EST
Article-I.D.: ecsvax.766
Posted: Tue Feb 26 09:45:04 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 1-Mar-85 07:34:35 EST
References: <493@ima.UUCP>
Organization: Duke U Comp Ctr
Lines: 21

<>
> . . .  I used it -- it was a reasonable idea but due to the Mongol
> Horde programming approach current at the time, it was always much too slow
> and much, much, too buggy, and IBM eventually withdrew it.

Someone (in a Computerworld column, if memory serves) several years ago
noted that the term "Mongolian Horde" is grossly misapplied to the idea
of using monster programmer teams to develop applications.  It seems the
Mongol Hordes operated as relatively small, fast, expert bands.
Destructive they were, but they were very efficient at it and were
almost always outnumbered by the opposition.  (If you think about it,
it's relatively unlikely that nomadic invaders would outnumber an
indigenous population.)

So maybe the REAL Mongol Horde approach might well be imitated by
programming groups.  (Or at least by headhunters in net.jobs :-)
-- 
D Gary Grady
Duke U Comp Center, Durham, NC  27706
(919) 684-3695
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