Estimating Software Size - Can We Still Do It?

[Phillip Brooks]

I keep seeing versions of this article popping up in my Google alerts. When I look for the original (Galorath.com), I only get a 404. Hmm.....

The article discusses LabVIEW and GOOP, so I thought it was worth sharing.

Estimating Software Size - Can We Still Do It?

I like this paragraph:

The software community has made great progress in creating tools to improve productivity – but our estimates are wrong because we stopped half way! We need to regroup and identify software size as it relates to software cost and involve parametric tools to calculate accurate estimates. Until then – it’s purely guess work to estimate new product development and blind trust in tribal knowledge when modifying existing applications. How long does it take to make GOOP?

( We now return you to your regularly scheduled 'Alfa String' RSS feed )

Edited September 9, 2009 by Phillip Brooks

[ShaunR]

How long does it take to make GOOP?

Twice as long

Edited September 9, 2009 by ShaunR

[Phillip Brooks]

Twice as long

Yet it takes practically no time at all to make p00p! (bad LabVIEW code, that is)

[ShaunR]

Yet it takes practically no time at all to make p00p! (bad LabVIEW code, that is)

Amen...lol.

Just look at the internet toolkit and the Vision stuff

Edited September 9, 2009 by ShaunR

[crelf]

How long does it take to make GOOP?

How long is a piece of string?

[Black Pearl]

(Inital design effort) + (Inital developement effort) + (Code Maintanance costs) - (Time Saved by reusing)

Felix

[ShaunR]

How long is a piece of string?

Like I said. Twice as long (as 1/2 its length).

[PaulG.]

Estimating Software Size - Can We Still Do It?

That is a great question, and probably the most difficult I have had to answer on numerous occasions in my career.

I'm no expert but I have gotten a lot better coming up with reasonable estimates on how long it will take me to write some code. And I'm not intimidated any more when my boss(es) and planners and account managers in the meeting room let out a collective "GASP!" when I say "oh, about 3 months."

What always ends up biting me in the @ss is something hardware related.

Every. Single. Time.

Whether it's drivers or compatibility or mechanical, or availability or cleaning up someone else's mess it's always hardware related. Trying to fit a square pin into a round hole accounts for 90% of my wasted time.

[Black Pearl]

Taking into account the general theory of relativity, the speed of software developement is reduced by the mass of hardware?

Felix

[PJM_labview]

Taking into account the general theory of relativity, the speed of software developement is reduced by the mass of hardware?

Felix

If one where to compare OSX and Windows (based on the previous statement) one would have to conclude that a Mac must be a lot lighter than a PC

PJM

[crelf]

If one where to compare OSX and Windows (based on the previous statement) one would have to conclude that a Mac must be a lot lighter than a PC

Unless you're reversing the previous statement, I don't see how that makes any sense at all, even in a humourous way.

[Cat]

What always ends up biting me in the @ss is something hardware related.

Yes!

I hate it when some project manager comes knocking on the door asking me to write code for a VXI system. And yes, they gasp when I tell them how long it will take. Then I tell them about 10% of that is writing code and the rest of it is a science project getting all the cards to play well together on whatever system they need it to work on.

And don't get me started about working with SCSI...

[Phillip Brooks]

Yes!

I hate it when some project manager comes knocking on the door asking me to write code for a VXI system. And yes, they gasp when I tell them how long it will take.

Ah, yes. military projects still love VME/VXI. I Wrote LabVIEW wrappers for two different VME controller cards; each with their own API to the Tunda. The first controller was unreliable and the second was unavailable.

We finally ditched the whole design. It was about that time that we upgraded to 8.20 and found out that we could have used the import DLL wizard to do much of what had taken me months to do. I haven't had to use my VMETRO knowledge since. Just checked and it appears that they were acquired by Curtiss Wright.

(woohoo! I've hit 365 posts. Is this my first Lava-versary?)

Edited September 10, 2009 by Phillip Brooks

[PaulG.]

... Then I tell them about 10% of that is writing code and the rest of it is a science project getting all the cards to play well together on whatever system they need it to work on ...

Yes!

Indeed. I wish I had more hardware folks I could count on. Or clones of myself to do it for me ...

[Daklu]

(woohoo! I've hit 365 posts. Is this my first Lava-versary?)

No. 365 only takes you to the end of the first year. You need 366 to celebrate your Lavaversary. BUT, since you joined during a leap year you need 367.