Software Reuse

["VAXTSD::SCHILLING1@atc.alcoa.COM".UUCP]

Reply-To: SCHILLING%ATC.ALCOA.COM@RELAY.CS.NET

This may seem incredibly naive to those who have long experience in 
the Defense contracting game, but it deserves saying anyway:

If the benefits of software reuse are real, then --
      - A product that makes significant reuse of software should be 
	ready sooner than one that represents all new code.
      - Saying than another way, a product that makes significant reuse
	of software could be started later in the system development
	cycle. 
      - The reliability of a product that makes significant reuse of
	software should be higher that an equivalent product that
	represents all new code.
      - Other quality characteristics of a product that makes 
	significant reuse of software should be much more predictable 
	than one that represents all new code.
      - The maintenance cost of the product that makes significant reuse 
	of software should be lower.
If all of the above is really true, then the customer should be willing
to pay MORE for a product that makes significant reuse of software than 
for one that represents all new code.  

Pete Schilling			CSNET:	SCHILLING@ATC.ALCOA.COM
Technical Specialist		PHONE:	412/337-2724
Process Control and 	   PAPER MAIL:	Aluminum Co. of America
   Computer Technology Divn.		Alcoa Center, PA  15069
Alcoa Laboratories			USA