From: "Nick Roberts" <Nick.Roberts@dial.pipex.com>
Subject: Re: Software Engineering and Dreamers
Date: 1997/05/22
Date: 1997-05-22T00:00:00+00:00 [thread overview]
Message-ID: <01bc66fa$ee7910e0$LocalHost@xhv46.dial.pipex.com> (raw)
In-Reply-To: EACHUS.97May22113850@spectre.mitre.org
Robert I. Eachus <eachus@spectre.mitre.org> wrote in article
<EACHUS.97May22113850@spectre.mitre.org> an excellent example of the
necessity for realism in software engineering.
This sense of realism is excellent, and is frequently the one thing that
makes the difference between a project that succeeds, and one which fails.
And let's face it, the software industry has had its fair share of failed
projects, has it not?
However, I would argue that there is sometimes a flip side to this realism,
in the engineering sciences in general, and computer science in particular.
All (or almost all) the really great leaps forward in computer technology
have come not from great, expensive, laboratories, engaged in highly
directed (commercially orientated) research, but instead from a motley
collection of scatter-brained individuals who had _imagination_.
These 'dreamers' may never have been practical or realistic. But they
invented the science.
If someone says "what if...?", it is fine to say "nice idea, but not
today", but at the same we should not get into the habit of 'stepping on'
those who suggest ideas. I don't suppose Robert was trying to give this
impression at all, but I hope nobody wrongly gets this impression. We need
our dreamers.
Nick.
(PS: I get a bit poetic this time of night)
next prev parent reply other threads:[~1997-05-22 0:00 UTC|newest]
Thread overview: 195+ messages / expand[flat|nested] mbox.gz Atom feed top
1997-05-15 0:00 Any research putting c above ada? Jon S Anthony
1997-05-15 0:00 ` Kaz Kylheku
1997-05-15 0:00 ` Jon S Anthony
[not found] ` <01bc6189$b074f500$LocalHost@xhv46.dial.pipex.com>
1997-05-16 0:00 ` Kaz Kylheku
1997-05-16 0:00 ` Jon S Anthony
1997-05-18 0:00 ` Nick Roberts
1997-05-19 0:00 ` NOT about "c above ada" W. Wesley Groleau (Wes)
1997-05-19 0:00 ` Any research putting c above ada? Michael Norrish
1997-05-20 0:00 ` Jon S Anthony
1997-05-20 0:00 ` Kaz Kylheku
1997-05-20 0:00 ` Jon S Anthony
1997-05-20 0:00 ` Michael Norrish
1997-05-20 0:00 ` Kaz Kylheku
1997-05-20 0:00 ` Jon S Anthony
1997-05-21 0:00 ` Kaz Kylheku
1997-05-21 0:00 ` Craig Franck
1997-05-22 0:00 ` Software Engineering is not a hoax... (was Re: Any research putting c above ada?) Robert I. Eachus
1997-05-22 0:00 ` Nick Roberts [this message]
1997-05-22 0:00 ` Software Engineering and Dreamers Tom Moran
1997-05-25 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1997-05-26 0:00 ` David Ray
1997-05-23 0:00 ` Robert I. Eachus
1997-05-23 0:00 ` Kaz Kylheku
1997-05-24 0:00 ` jason hummel
1997-05-24 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1997-05-25 0:00 ` Craig Franck
1997-05-26 0:00 ` Kaz Kylheku
1997-05-26 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1997-05-27 0:00 ` Jon S Anthony
1997-05-27 0:00 ` Dann Corbit
1997-05-26 0:00 ` Craig Franck
1997-05-27 0:00 ` Kaz Kylheku
1997-05-28 0:00 ` Fritz W Feuerbacher
1997-05-29 0:00 ` Craig Franck
1997-05-29 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1997-05-26 0:00 ` Fritz W Feuerbacher
1997-05-26 0:00 ` Kaz Kylheku
1997-05-26 0:00 ` tstcroix
1997-05-27 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1997-05-27 0:00 ` Kaz Kylheku
1997-05-28 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1997-05-31 0:00 ` Nick Roberts
1997-06-02 0:00 ` Jon S Anthony
1997-06-09 0:00 ` Ralph Silverman
1997-05-27 0:00 ` Jon S Anthony
1997-05-28 0:00 ` Robert I. Eachus
1997-05-27 0:00 ` system
1997-05-27 0:00 ` Kaz Kylheku
1997-05-28 0:00 ` Rich Miller
1997-05-28 0:00 ` Bryce Bardin
1997-05-28 0:00 ` Lawrence Kirby
1997-05-29 0:00 ` Nick Leaton
1997-05-29 0:00 ` Matthew S. Whiting
1997-05-28 0:00 ` Kaz Kylheku
1997-05-28 0:00 ` Fritz W Feuerbacher
1997-05-29 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1997-05-29 0:00 ` Kaz Kylheku
1997-05-30 0:00 ` Vibrating Bum-Faced Goats
1997-05-30 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1997-06-02 0:00 ` Mathew Hendry
1997-06-03 0:00 ` John Winters
1997-06-02 0:00 ` Mathew Hendry
1997-06-03 0:00 ` Martin C. Carlisle
1997-06-08 0:00 ` Joe Charlier
1997-06-09 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1997-06-17 0:00 ` Nick Roberts
1997-06-04 0:00 ` John Winters
1997-06-06 0:00 ` Volker Hetzer
1997-06-06 0:00 ` Mathew Hendry
1997-06-08 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1997-06-09 0:00 ` Jonathan Guthrie
1997-06-09 0:00 ` Mathew Hendry
1997-06-11 0:00 ` Crocodiles [was: Re: Software Engineering and Dreamers] Anonymous
1997-06-11 0:00 ` Spam Hater
1997-06-12 0:00 ` Anonymous
1997-06-11 0:00 ` Off topic: Crocodiles Mukesh Prasad
1997-06-11 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1997-06-11 0:00 ` Mukesh Prasad
1997-06-12 0:00 ` Jon S Anthony
1997-06-11 0:00 ` Software Engineering and Dreamers Jonathan Guthrie
1997-06-11 0:00 ` Mathew Hendry
1997-06-17 0:00 ` Nick Roberts
1997-06-09 0:00 ` Craig Franck
1997-06-08 0:00 ` John G. Volan
1997-06-09 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1997-06-09 0:00 ` SE, Dreamers, and on and on and on W. Wesley Groleau (Wes)
1997-06-09 0:00 ` Software Engineering and Dreamers John G. Volan
1997-06-10 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1997-06-08 0:00 ` Jason Shankel
1997-06-09 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
[not found] ` <19970606.49CA70..12B91@ae124.du.pipex.com>
1997-06-07 0:00 ` Lawrence Kirby
1997-06-09 0:00 ` W. Wesley Groleau (Wes)
1997-06-10 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1997-06-10 0:00 ` W. Wesley Groleau (Wes)
1997-06-07 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1997-06-08 0:00 ` Mathew Hendry
1997-06-03 0:00 ` Ed Prochak - Woodland Consultants
1997-06-03 0:00 ` Matthew S. Whiting
1997-06-03 0:00 ` Spaceman Spiff
1997-06-03 0:00 ` Craig Franck
1997-06-02 0:00 ` Nick Roberts
1997-06-07 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1997-06-02 0:00 ` Jon S Anthony
1997-06-02 0:00 ` Jon S Anthony
[not found] ` <01bc7042$609289e0$cb61e426@DCorbit.solutionsiq.com>
1997-06-03 0:00 ` Off topic response to an off topic message--> was:Re: " H. Blakely Williford
1997-06-04 0:00 ` Craig Franck
1997-06-03 0:00 ` Spaceman Spiff
1997-06-09 0:00 ` Kaz Kylheku
1997-06-09 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1997-06-09 0:00 ` Ceri Stagg
1997-06-12 0:00 ` Philip Brashear
1997-07-21 0:00 ` Shmuel (Seymour J.) Metz
1997-06-10 0:00 ` Vibrating Bum-Faced Goats
1997-06-04 0:00 ` Vibrating Bum-Faced Goats
1997-06-04 0:00 ` �Stephen!
1997-06-05 0:00 ` Kaz Kylheku
1997-06-06 0:00 ` Volker Hetzer
[not found] ` <01bc7a5b$9ccdd900$21320f9b@mindlin>
[not found] ` <5o7ahj$oos$1@news12.gte.net>
1997-06-18 0:00 ` Philip Hindman
1997-06-18 0:00 ` Spam Hater
1997-06-18 0:00 ` Spaceman Spiff
1997-06-19 0:00 ` Stephan Wilms
1997-06-20 0:00 ` Spam Hater
1997-06-19 0:00 ` Mukesh Prasad
1997-06-19 0:00 ` Craig Franck
1997-06-18 0:00 ` Spaceman Spiff
1997-06-19 0:00 ` Steve Howard
1997-06-19 0:00 ` Anonymous
1997-06-20 0:00 ` Spam Hater
1997-06-21 0:00 ` Spaceman Spiff
1997-06-23 0:00 ` root
1997-06-22 0:00 ` Alicia Carla Longstreet
1997-06-19 0:00 ` Stephan Wilms
1997-06-24 0:00 ` David Thornley
1997-06-06 0:00 ` Fritz W Feuerbacher
1997-06-06 0:00 ` Joe Charlier
1997-06-04 0:00 ` S. Norby
1997-05-30 0:00 ` Vibrating Bum-Faced Goats
1997-05-23 0:00 ` Mark Allen Framness
1997-05-23 0:00 ` Mark Allen Framness
1997-05-23 0:00 ` Kaz Kylheku
1997-05-24 0:00 ` Bill Anderson
1997-05-23 0:00 ` Software Engineering is not a hoax... (was Re: Any research putting c above ada?) Jeff Carter
1997-05-23 0:00 ` William M.Gordon
1997-05-23 0:00 ` Kaz Kylheku
1997-05-23 0:00 ` John Bode
1997-05-25 0:00 ` Jon S Anthony
1997-05-25 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1997-05-25 0:00 ` Craig Franck
1997-05-26 0:00 ` Software Engineering is not a hoax Laurent Gasser
1997-05-26 0:00 ` Kaz Kylheku
1997-05-27 0:00 ` Scott Stanchfield
1997-05-27 0:00 ` Kaz Kylheku
1997-05-27 0:00 ` Scott Stanchfield
1997-05-29 0:00 ` Dean Runzel
1997-05-29 0:00 ` Kaz Kylheku
1997-05-30 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1997-05-30 0:00 ` John G. Volan
1997-05-29 0:00 ` Scott Stanchfield
1997-05-30 0:00 ` Lord Shaman
1997-05-27 0:00 ` Dan Evens
1997-05-27 0:00 ` Scott Stanchfield
1997-05-28 0:00 ` Alan Bowler
1997-05-29 0:00 ` Jon S Anthony
1997-05-23 0:00 ` Software Engineering is not a hoax... (was Re: Any research putting c above ada?) Robert I. Eachus
1997-05-25 0:00 ` Jon S Anthony
1997-05-24 0:00 ` Fritz W Feuerbacher
1997-05-24 0:00 ` W. Wesley Groleau (Wes)
1997-05-24 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1997-06-12 0:00 ` Software Engineering is not a hoax Keith Shillington
1997-06-12 0:00 ` Kaz Kylheku
1997-06-17 0:00 ` brucemo
1997-06-17 0:00 ` Richard Turner
1997-06-17 0:00 ` Spam Hater
1997-06-17 0:00 ` Richard Turner
1997-06-12 0:00 ` Ralph Silverman
[not found] ` <33859489.7FB8@spam.inno <5nplh1$276@nntp.seflin.org>
1997-06-13 0:00 ` Paul Mesken
1997-06-13 0:00 ` Michael Tippach
1997-05-20 0:00 ` Any research putting c above ada? Jon S Anthony
1997-05-20 0:00 ` Les Hazlewood
1997-05-20 0:00 ` Jason A Cunningham
1997-05-21 0:00 ` Stephan Wilms
1997-05-21 0:00 ` Jason A Cunningham
1997-05-20 0:00 ` Newsthread integrity Nick Roberts
1997-05-16 0:00 ` Any research putting c above ada? T Wheeley
1997-05-16 0:00 ` Jon S Anthony
-- strict thread matches above, loose matches on Subject: below --
1997-05-26 0:00 Software Engineering and Dreamers tmoran
1997-05-26 0:00 tmoran
1997-05-27 0:00 Marin David Condic, 561.796.8997, M/S 731-93
1997-05-28 0:00 Marin David Condic, 561.796.8997, M/S 731-93
1997-05-29 0:00 Fritz W Feuerbacher
1997-05-30 0:00 ` Kevin Cline
1997-05-30 0:00 ` system
1997-05-31 0:00 ` Kevin Cline
1997-05-31 0:00 ` Lawrence Kirby
1997-06-02 0:00 ` Philip Brashear
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