David--
You wrote:
>>>..., there simply aren't consistent, meaningful numbers to measure software.<<<
No doubt you are correct.
But at the end of the day this is what you have: One publicaly available study on the global securities sector conducted in the last year prior to rollover with a lousy participation rate and even lousier numbers from those who did participate.
If you were trying to make a decision to buy, sell or hold, let's say equities, over rollover what information would you want?
No information because software measurement is largely bad?
or
Whatever information was available from the Securities Industry Association and the International Operations Association even if the study had a low participation rate and indicated that among those firms that did participate less than half had completed their year 2000 projects.
As an individual investor I would want whatever information is available.
But the issue with this study isn't about bad reporting on the part of the media or censorship.
You also wrote:
>>>But somehow the media just hasn't caught on to this dirty little secret about software & systems...there simply ain't no common yardstick. Period!!!!<<<
I don't think the question surrounding this study has to do with a common yardstick of accurate software measurement.
If the majority of these security firms say they have COMPLETED less than 50% of their systems as of the second quarter of 1999 who am I or you to say, "Well, you are obviously mistaken and must have measured your software incorrectly. Certainly you must have COMPLETED more (or less) systems."
We are not arguing the accurate measurement of 75%, 90% or 99% of the work accomplished to implementation with this study This survey involves the total number of COMPLETED systems...again not the measurement of the remediation job along some continuum.
The study indicates only 22% of the 14% participating foreign investment banks, clearinghouses and stock exchanges claim to have fixed, tested and implemented their systems...In other words claim to DONE.
The question this survey asked is, "What percentage of your systems are 100% done?"
It says what it says.
Frankly, I think that many who have read this article haven't really read it at all.
Aside from the lousy participation rate, it is one of the least ambiguous surveys I've seen.
cnn.com |
