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Date: 20 Sep 93 16:57:58 GMT
From: cis.ohio-state.edu!magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu!usenet.ins.cwru.edu!agate!ov
erload.lbl.gov!lll-winken.llnl.gov!taurus.cs.nps.navy.mil!shimeall@ucbvax.Berke
ley.EDU  (timothy shimeall)
Subject: Re: Automated Ada Physical Source Lines Counter
Message-ID: <CDnwGM.1Cv@taurus.cs.nps.navy.mil>
List-Id: <comp.lang.ada>

At the risk of cutting off a potentially-interesting thread, let me
point out one aspect: the automated Ada physical source lines counter
is not a project estimation tool.  It lacks the databasing and
project-description facilities that such a tool would need.  What this
tool is designed for is project TRACKING -- that is, once we HAVE made
an estimate, how is the project progressing in comparison to that
estimate.  The tool will allow you to enter your estimate
(instrumenting the code with that estimate) and to generate reports
that break out estimated vs. actual values as the project progresses.
(This purpose, by the way, is explicitly included in the SEI Technical
reports on which this tool is based.)  In tracking the software, if 
measured values vary widely from estimated values, then this can serve
as a indication to management that one of three things is going on:
  + The estimation process is inadequate;
  + Portions of the product are being overemphasized or
overimplemented;
  + Production schedule is overambitious or overgenerous;

Then the management can further examine the project to see which of
the above is true.

I, as distributor of this tool, do not want to claim that this tool
will meet all of your project estimation and tracking needs -- in
fact, I know very well that it won't completely meet those needs.  
But I do think that an automated means of calculating explicitly-
defined size measures of software is useful -- and that is the function 
of this tool.  If others want to provide similar functionality for 
other measures, I would only applaud their efforts.
				Tim