Re: Study shows Ada tools ten times more costly

[eachus@mitre-bedford.arpa (Robert I. Eachus)]

In article <C784HG.5E0@world.std.com> srctran@world.std.com (Gregory
Aharonian) does it again:

   First he quotes T. Capers Jones on the cost of tools:

	   "The cost of software engineering tools ranges from less"
	   than $1 per function point, to more than $20 per function
	   point.  Developers using PC, Unix and Apple Macintosh
	   platforms have the largest selection of tools priced at
	   less than $1 per function point.  Manufacturers and
	   military software developers often use tools priced at
	   more than $10 per function point.

   then Greg assumes a lot:

       This comment to some extent supports the contention that the
   Ada Mandate, by sheltering the Ada tools companies from
   competition, is distorting the marketplace and making use of Ada
   more expensive than other languages.  (I assume in his study that
   for the most part, military software developers only are buying Ada
   tools).

   Having shopped for, and helped to set prices for, development
tools, the most important factor in price is the size of the potential
market.  (Second most important is the number of other vendors trying
to get a slice of that market.)  Now the first two markets mentioned
by Jones are by far the largest development tool markets around.  In
terms of development tools the military market is one of the smallest.
I wonder if there is any connection between that and cost per function
point...


--

					Robert I. Eachus

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