From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.4 (2020-01-24) on polar.synack.me X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=-0.4 required=5.0 tests=AC_FROM_MANY_DOTS,BAYES_00 autolearn=no autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 X-Google-Language: ENGLISH,ASCII-7-bit X-Google-Thread: 103376,3d6589e7b2c60444 X-Google-Attributes: gid103376,public X-Google-ArrivalTime: 2003-05-09 04:46:09 PST Path: archiver1.google.com!news1.google.com!newsfeed.stanford.edu!bloom-beacon.mit.edu!cambridge1-snf1.gtei.net!news.gtei.net!bos-service1.ext.raytheon.com!cyclone.swbell.net!newsfeed1.easynews.com!easynews.com!easynews!newsfeed1.earthlink.net!newsfeed.earthlink.net!stamper.news.pas.earthlink.net!stamper.news.atl.earthlink.net!harp.news.atl.earthlink.net!not-for-mail From: "Marin David Condic" Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada Subject: Re: employment with ada Date: Fri, 9 May 2003 07:45:38 -0400 Organization: MindSpring Enterprises Message-ID: References: NNTP-Posting-Host: d1.56.b1.e2 X-Server-Date: 9 May 2003 11:46:08 GMT X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.00.2314.1300 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.00.2314.1300 Xref: archiver1.google.com comp.lang.ada:37095 Date: 2003-05-09T11:46:08+00:00 List-Id: wrote in message news:Edxua.536069$Zo.114084@sccrnsc03... > >One might argue "Ada saves you costs in long term maintenance..." I agree, > >but how big a number is that. Is it big enough to overcome the startup costs > It seems really surprising to me that in a time of super low interest > rates, ie discount rate for money, people seem *less* willing to make > investments with longer payoffs! You have a point & I suppose that was the idea behind the Fed dropping the rates to historicly low levels. Could be that other fears figure into the equation. 911, Terrorism, the Gulf War, etc. have all made for an uncertain business climate which discourages long term investments. Perhaps with the war essentially over and terrorism incidents down to historic lows, some confidence will start to build. The problem with us engineering types is that we often get an idea in our head "Why doesn't our company do X? It ought to save money in the long run....." And of course, the problem is we've neve done the math to show that it actually will. We don't *know* that it will save money - we just guess. That's why although I know that Ada *can* save money on a given project through reduced defects and increased productivity, I am not always critical of those who go down other paths. I know there are lots of other factors involved and that unless I've done the math, I can't say out of hand that they're wrong. For those who want jobs in Ada,. here's a hint in promoting Ada in your workplace: Learn something about business & economics and lay out your case after doing as objective and thorough analysis as you can. Its a lot harder to argue with numbers than it is with vague notions. MDC -- ====================================================================== Marin David Condic I work for: http://www.belcan.com/ My project is: http://www.jsf.mil/ Send Replies To: m c o n d i c @ a c m . o r g "Going cold turkey isn't as delicious as it sounds." -- H. Simpson ======================================================================