Calling DoD

Calling DoD

[Ken Garlington]

Gregory Aharonian <srctran@WORLD.STD.COM> writes on Tue, 13 Sep 1994 16:40:44

<< Step three would be to start calling everyone on the list and ask them
three questions: what language are you using, what is the expected number
of lines of code, and how much money is being spent on software development. >>

I don't know about the average DoD program, but I suspect whomever you called
on the F-22 program would not be keen to release that kind of data without a
good explanation of need-to-know. Also, not every program requires that the
Government get software development costs broken out from the total product
development effort (in fact, there's an ongoing battle to define what should be
counted as "software" development). Finally, what do you do when the guy on the
other end says "SLOCs? We don't use no stinkin' SLOCs! We use function
points/words/etc.

This doesn't sound like the kind of phone call that will generate meaningful
data in a couple of months...

Re: Calling DoD

[Gregory Aharonian]

>This doesn't sound like the kind of phone call that will generate meaningful
>data in a couple of months...

Fine, then put forth another set of questions to be asked.  In fact, put
forth another measure of Ada success (for example, how many people in the
DoD can spell "Ada", anything), but for too, too, too long Ada policies
have been set and funded without measuring anything.  There is no way to
assess the success or failure of anything involving Ada inside the DoD
because no one is measuring anything in a systematic way.

I have been posting measures I feel are important, and everyone shoots
them down.  Fine, someone else propose something and lets measure it (are
there must exist one meaningful, measurable number we can calculate -
after all the STARS programs has been making endless similar claims for
years though no one actually measures over there either).

   But if the proposed DualUse plan can mention goals like increasing
something 11%, a pretty specific figure, then obviously DISA believes
something can be measured, though they have no provisions to measure
anything either.

Greg Aharonian

Re: Calling DoD

[Ken Garlington]

Gregory Aharonian <srctran@WORLD.STD.COM> on Thu, 15 Sep 1994 14:13:06 writes:

<< Fine, then put forth another set of questions to be asked. >>

You're missing the point. Most DoD projects I have been associated with don't
supply information to private citizens without sufficient need-to-know. The
content of the questions is not the issue.

I'm not contesting the need for the information you're requesting; I'm just
noting the naivete of trying to survey all DoD software projects as a private
citizen in a couple of months.

Calm down, OK? Not _everyone_ is out to get you...