Re: Why and how do organizations select th

[saimiri.primate.wisc.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!cs.utexas.edu!milano!c obweb.mcc.com!breland@ames.arc.nasa.gov (Mark A. Breland)]

In article 29355@seas.gwu.edu, mfeldman@seas.gwu.edu (Michael Feldman) writes:
>
>    They hired a _really_ big-name consultant (NOT a professor, Mark!)
>    to teach them his OO methodology and take a first crack at a design
>    for them. After collecting a very large fee, he walked away from the
>    project, leaving behind what they say is an unworkable design. 
>    Conceivably we (I and another professor friend) will get involved 
>    helping them sort it all out. Might be fun.

Pardon me...I suppose I should have entitled ol' Harumptyrump differently...
Such a *professorial* generalization was inappropriate on my part.  ;)

>You're right, Bjarne - I can't name names. I won't tar an individual with
>an ad hominem public attack, especially if I have no independent basis for
>it. I did not observe this consultant in action, nor see his work in this
>case. His client was frustrated but I can't really assess the reason for
>the frustration. And naturally no field has a monopoly on windbags.

Unfortunately, if the referenced OO windbag DID deposit an expensive load
of trash, he dealt legitimate OO experts and practitioners a terrible blow.
It's difficult enough convincing leery implementers to accept a new perfectly
valid method, much less one tainted in this manner by a so called "expert".
Incidents such as these merely bolster the ammo stores of the anti-OO
coalition, and diminish community acceptance of the OO approach to
programming-in-the-large.

---
Mark A. Breland - Microelectronics and Computer Technology Corporation (MCC)
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