Fantastic exchange from DConf

[Russel Winder via Digitalmars-d]

On Wed, 2017-05-17 at 17:27 -0700, H. S. Teoh via Digitalmars-d wrote:
> […]
> odds are heavily stacked against a language change. Most management
> are
> concerned (and in many cases, rightly so) about the cost of rewriting
> decades-old "proven" software as opposed to merely plugging the holes
> in
> the existing software.  As long as they have enough coders plugging
> away
> at the bugs, they're likely to be inclined to say "good enough".
[…]

If a lump of software is allowed into the "it works, do no touch it"
then that is the beginning of the end for that product and that
company. The accountants probably haven't realised it at the time they
make that decision, but they have just signed the death warrant on that
part of their organisation.

An organisation that keeps all of it's software in development at all
times may appear to spend more on development, but they are keeping the
organisation codebase in a fit state for evolution. As the market
changes, the organisation can change without massive revolution.

The difference here is between an organisation that treats software as
a cost versus software as an asset. As long as you do not measure the
asset by lines of code, obviously.

The rather interesting anecdote of the moment is FORTRAN (and Fortran).
Various code bases written in the 1960s must still be compilable by
current Fortran compilers because no-one is allowed to alter the source
code of the 1960s codes. This makes Fortran one of the weirdest
languages, and their compiler writers some of the best. Note though
that all the organisation who followed the "the source code is fine
now" are having real troubles hiring FORTRAN and Fortran developers,
c.f. UK government and NASA. I believe some organisations are having to
hire at £2000 per day for these people.

So for the accountants: you need to look further than the next three
months when it comes to your assets and bottom line over the lifetime
of the organisation.

-- 
Russel.
=============================================================================
Dr Russel Winder      t: +44 20 7585 2200   voip: sip:russel.winder at ekiga.net
41 Buckmaster Road    m: +44 7770 465 077   xmpp: russel at winder.org.uk
London SW11 1EN, UK   w: www.russel.org.uk  skype: russel_winder
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