Wayne, > I have seen far too many systems over-specified and operating practices > overly elaborate not based on any functional evidence, but based purely > on theoretical considerations allowing no compromises to be made.
Theoretical considerations, taste, personal experiences, prejudice - far too many IS developers in this world are not very good at CULTIVATING information systems. I'm using the term cultivating as in a sliding scale from "building" via "developing" to "cultivating", with "building" being the traditional software engineering approach and "cultivating" being the long term nurturing and "organic" growth of health info systems in a real-world "jungle" of organisational/cultural/political contexts. Developers also tend to get attached to their own tools and designs more firmly than many other professions - secretaries don't get emotionally attached to their filing cabinets the same way many developers are attached to a specific DBMS.... ;-) Could be a male bonding thing, of course... Regards calle
