Re: Required Metrics

["Robert I. Eachus" <rieachus@earthlink.net>]

(I said:)
> >          Again, from a user's point of view, all this nit-picking is
> > irrelevant.  A user who needs, say, a compiler which never takes more
> > than 1 millisecond for a clock interrupt is not going to be satisfied
> > with some random document.  He or she is going to write those
> > requirements in the purchasing contract.  Any such requirements in the
> > contract will not specify that this or that feature be documented, but
> > the actual required performance.
 
    I was not saying that you should have a compiler built to your
special order, although
I have been in the position of writing such contracts (for hardware
vendors).  I was saying
that when you are setting the requirements for a compiler for YOUR
particular project, you look at what YOUR specific requirements are, and
then write a requirements document, possibly an RFP, and a purchase
contract.  If a compiler is available off the shelf that does meet your
requirements for a large, long-duration project, there is a major
advantage to writing those key requirements into the purchase order.  It
informs the vendor that those particular features are key requirements
for your project, and that you will need long term support for a
compiler that meets those requirements.

    The compiler vendor, when planning enhancements of his product, will
look at his support requirements and pay attention to them.  Of course,
if you write a detailed contract which documents every possible detail
of the expected product, the vendor will ignore those requirements when
planning significant revisions.  He will expect you to continue to use
the current compiler version, perhaps with some patches.  He can afford
to halt progress to support you and still be a viable competitor. 
(Actually, it sounds like Ken did get into this situation--imposing
enough requirements on the vendor to prevent him from staying
competitive.)