Rick Fochtman wrote: > --------------------------------<snip>------------------------ > >> I hate to rain on anyone's parade, but all the posts notwithstanding, >> the problem here isn't failure, but the fear that it might actually >> succeed. >> >> If the project is as doomed to failure as many have been saying, then >> so what! Let it fail. It might be a difficult time and a humbling >> experience for some, but in the end the original system will be >> vindicated. However, I suspect that the real concern is that it >> might actually work. Maybe not as well ... maybe without all the >> bells and whistles, but in the end if it does tha job, then >> management will have been vindicated in the decision. >> >> Doom and gloom is not a way to convince management of the proper >> course. If the project can succeed, then you'd better get on board >> now, because the train is leaving the station. If the project is >> doomed to fail, then that will also be apparent soon enough. > > -----------------------------<unsnip>----------------------------- > It might succeed, if management throws enough manpower and servers > into it. But at what expense? Who's going to coordinate the > implementation? Who's going to determine and map out all the > interactions between datasets and processes? How will data be moved > from one process to the next, perhaps on a different server? How many > "administrators" will be required to maintain that whole enterprise > (polite word for mess?) Are programs to be translated from COBOL to > another language? Who's going to train staff? At what expense? > > I believe that these are all valid questions that need to be answered > before any prognosis of success or failure can be made. > > In my admittedly limited experience, that server farm is going to take > a significant increase in manpower just to maintain the status quo; > finding and/or making a developer staff is also going to be a major > headache. You might find people that know the languages, but they > still need to learn about the business. And as others have already > noted, security and legal issues will further muddy the waters. >
You are assuming a "ready, aim, fire" mode of management whereas I am more used to "fire, aim, ready" :-) -- Mark Jacobs Time Customer Service Tampa, FL ---- When the Nazis came for the communists, I remained silent; I was not a communist. When they locked up the social democrats, I remained silent; I was not a social democrat. When they came for the trade unionists, I did not speak out; I was not a trade unionist. When they came for the Jews, I remained silent; I wasn't a Jew. When they came for me, there was no one left to speak out. Pastor Martin Niemöller (1892–1984) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
