Re: IBM Doing Some Restructuring?
Fred Brooks' Law: Adding manpower to a late software project makes it later. already 1960s, IIRC Kind regards Bernd Am 13.02.2012 08:24, schrieb Edward Jaffe: On 2/12/2012 11:41 AM, Chris Craddock wrote: The (evidently popular) idea that you can pick a random group of (cheap) gunslingers and solve big system or application development problems is as bankrupt today as it ever was. It only ever works on a spreadsheet. It's funny how so often, despite Santayana's admonishments, new management teams implement the same failed ideas (with new names) all over again. Politicians do this every 4-8 years or so. Must be human nature... :-\ -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: IBM Doing Some Restructuring?
I think that this paragraph is interesting: We were previously using configuration management version control, which required a lengthy code check-in process, said Clark Dudek, software developer, IBM Systems and Technology Group. Rational Team Concert has encouraged greater code collaboration and better work item tracking within my team. I guess IBM doesn't think they need version control anymore. Might that be why we are seeing more problems lately? -Original Message- From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List [mailto:IBM-MAIN@bama.ua.edu] On Behalf Of Dave Day Sent: Saturday, February 11, 2012 11:31 AM To: IBM-MAIN@bama.ua.edu Subject: Re: IBM Doing Some Restructuring? Well, hindsight being 20-20, it is obvious management within IBM has done both some incredibly smart, and incredibly dumb moves over the past 30 yrs. or so. I know every time I applied for a job, I always wanted to work on a part time basis, because I just didn't want that feeling of security everyone has to some degree when they take permanent full-time employment. And every time I have worked on a part time job, when an offer came along for a full time position, I always turned it down. Mostly because I felt loyalty to the current employer for offering me the part-time, temporary position instead of making me take full-time employment. And for sure, we all know software development is much easier when you don't have the previous developers around to just clutter things up when you are spending all that time going thru the code to try to figure out why this or that function is coded the way it is. The idea of hiring temporary workers, the 'liquid' people referred to in the article, seems to me to be at odds with long term, successful growth. IBM is adopting Walmart's business model on this one. --Dave On 2/11/2012 10:06 AM, Edward Jaffe wrote: http://socialbarrel.com/ibm-job-cuts-in-germany-8000-may-be-laid-off/3 1574/ Rumor has it that IBM is laying off up to 40% of its workforce in Germany. At the same time they are testing a new global temporary worker program that they believe can speed up project implementation by 30% and reduce costs by 1/3. -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN This e-mail may contain confidential or privileged information. If you think you have received this e-mail in error, please advise the sender by reply e-mail and then delete this e-mail immediately. Thank you. Aetna -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: IBM Doing Some Restructuring?
Dave Day's comment begin snippet The idea of hiring temporary workers, the 'liquid' people referred to in the article, seems to me to be at odds with long term, successful growth. IBM is adopting Walmart's business model on this one. /end snippet is, as the MBAs would surely say, 'insightful'. Moreover, it suggests to me that successful growth can be defined in many different ways. I suspect that IBM is in fact adopting Apple's business model: Design it using a small number of highly talented people in one place; then implement/manufacture it quickly using 'liquid' because currently unemployed people elsewhere, in China or, shortly, a successor low-cost location that does not yet have a safety net for the poor in place. On 2/13/12, Veilleux, Jon L veilleu...@aetna.com wrote: I think that this paragraph is interesting: We were previously using configuration management version control, which required a lengthy code check-in process, said Clark Dudek, software developer, IBM Systems and Technology Group. Rational Team Concert has encouraged greater code collaboration and better work item tracking within my team. I guess IBM doesn't think they need version control anymore. Might that be why we are seeing more problems lately? -Original Message- From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List [mailto:IBM-MAIN@bama.ua.edu] On Behalf Of Dave Day Sent: Saturday, February 11, 2012 11:31 AM To: IBM-MAIN@bama.ua.edu Subject: Re: IBM Doing Some Restructuring? Well, hindsight being 20-20, it is obvious management within IBM has done both some incredibly smart, and incredibly dumb moves over the past 30 yrs. or so. I know every time I applied for a job, I always wanted to work on a part time basis, because I just didn't want that feeling of security everyone has to some degree when they take permanent full-time employment. And every time I have worked on a part time job, when an offer came along for a full time position, I always turned it down. Mostly because I felt loyalty to the current employer for offering me the part-time, temporary position instead of making me take full-time employment. And for sure, we all know software development is much easier when you don't have the previous developers around to just clutter things up when you are spending all that time going thru the code to try to figure out why this or that function is coded the way it is. The idea of hiring temporary workers, the 'liquid' people referred to in the article, seems to me to be at odds with long term, successful growth. IBM is adopting Walmart's business model on this one. --Dave On 2/11/2012 10:06 AM, Edward Jaffe wrote: http://socialbarrel.com/ibm-job-cuts-in-germany-8000-may-be-laid-off/3 1574/ Rumor has it that IBM is laying off up to 40% of its workforce in Germany. At the same time they are testing a new global temporary worker program that they believe can speed up project implementation by 30% and reduce costs by 1/3. -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN This e-mail may contain confidential or privileged information. If you think you have received this e-mail in error, please advise the sender by reply e-mail and then delete this e-mail immediately. Thank you. Aetna -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN -- John Gilmore, Ashland, MA 01721 - USA -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: IBM Doing Some Restructuring?
Reminds me of the 'pregnancy theory': Assigning multiple women to the task of having a baby, rarely speeds up the project. Dana Am 13.02.2012 08:24, schrieb Edward Jaffe: On 2/12/2012 11:41 AM, Chris Craddock wrote: The (evidently popular) idea that you can pick a random group of (cheap) gunslingers and solve big system or application development problems is as bankrupt today as it ever was. It only ever works on a spreadsheet. -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: IBM Doing Some Restructuring?
On Sun, 12 Feb 2012 23:24:17 -0800, Edward Jaffe edja...@phoenixsoftware.com wrote: It's funny how so often, despite Santayana's admonishments, new management teams implement the same failed ideas (with new names) all over again. Politicians do this every 4-8 years or so. Must be human nature... :-\ Patterned after centuries (millenia?) of cultural character - raze the conquered and build your empire on the remains. Arthur Gutowski Compuware Corporation -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: IBM Doing Some Restructuring?
On Mon, Feb 13, 2012 at 7:00 AM, Veilleux, Jon L veilleu...@aetna.comwrote: I think that this paragraph is interesting: We were previously using configuration management version control, which required a lengthy code check-in process, said Clark Dudek, software developer, IBM Systems and Technology Group. Rational Team Concert has encouraged greater code collaboration and better work item tracking within my team. I guess IBM doesn't think they need version control anymore. Might that be why we are seeing more problems lately? It isn't that they are no longer using configuration management - just different tools with a different world view. In the non-MF world the process involves developers creating their own individual branch from a base in a code repository, then working independently on the branches (coding/unit testing etc.) Then, somewhere down the road, they merge their changes into a new base. This offers greater parallelism than in other (let's say traditional) source management approaches where individual elements are locked while changes are made. It looks terrifying to mainframe folks, but I'm here to tell you it works and there are tools to make it relatively easy. It isn't completely automated - a carbon unit still has to resolve any differences that don't fit, but in most respects there is more freedom and less effort overall. However, as you might imagine, this approach requires great discipline and skill when bringing the pieces back together and that brings us back to the original skills issue that Ed raised. You don't want the B team doing this. -- This email might be from the artist formerly known as CC (or not) You be the judge. -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: IBM Doing Some Restructuring?
arthur.gutow...@compuware.com (Art Gutowski) writes: Patterned after centuries (millenia?) of cultural character - raze the conquered and build your empire on the remains. re: http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2012b.html#74 IBM Doing Some Restructuring? http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2012b.html#76 IBM Doing Some Restructuring? I had sponsored Boyd's briefings at IBM in the 80s ... and he had a very interesting scenario for this. some Boyd URLs from around the web as well as past posts http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/subboyd.html Part of his briefings was that at the entry to WW2, the Army had to deploy a huge forces with little or no experience. To leverage the small amount of skilled/experienced resources they created a rigid, top-down command and control structure. He would then observe that this was then starting to have a significant downside on US corporate culture ... as former young WW2 officers, skilled in rigid, top-down commandcontrol structures were started to climb corporate ladders. They were beginning to implement similar infrastructures that assumed only the very few at the very top knew what they were doing and required rigid controls for large hordes that didn't know what they were doing. Something similar was touched on in Tandem Memos (even before I met Boyd) ... from IBM Jargon Tandem Memos - n. Something constructive but hard to control; a fresh of breath air (sic). That's another Tandem Memos. A phrase to worry middle management. It refers to the computer-based conference (widely distributed in 1981) in which many technical personnel expressed dissatisfaction with the tools available to them at that time, and also constructively criticised the way products were are developed. The memos are required reading for anyone with a serious interest in quality products. If you have not seen the memos, try reading the November 1981 Datamation summary. ... snip ... I had been blamed for online computer conferencing on the internal network in the late 70s early 80s (part of which was Tandem Memos) ... misc. past posts mentioning the internal network http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/subnetwork.html#internalnet part of the folklore was that when the executive committee was informed of online computer conferencing (and the internal network), 5of6 wanted to fire me. Boyd's explanation has been used more recently to explain a report that the ratio of executive compensation to employee compensation had exploded to 400:1 (Age of Greed, mentioned in earlier post, claims it spiked over 500:1), after having been 20:1 for a long time and 10:1 for most of the rest of the world. The other downside is that people at the bottom that may appear to know what they are doing, can be viewed as a threat. other recent posts mentioning Age of Greed: http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2012b.html#12 Sun Tzu, Boyd, strategy and extensions of same http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2012b.html#19 Buffett Tax and truth in numbers http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2012b.html#29 The speeds of thought, complexities of problems http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2012b.html#43 Where are all the old tech workers? http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2012b.html#54 The New Age Bounty Hunger -- Showdown at the SEC Corral -- virtualization experience starting Jan1968, online at home since Mar1970 -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: IBM Doing Some Restructuring?
For now it is likely that some of the non-mainframe configuration-management schemes are more flexible, because less bureaucracy-encrusted than the schemes we are accustomed to using. The Anglican Communion's Book of Common Prayer has this to say about problems of this sort, which are ineluctable: There was never any thing by the wit of man so well devised, or so sure established, which in continuance of time hath not been corrupted. New initiatives need to be criticized in their own terms, and they often need it badly; but reflexive defense of and retreat into the familiar is rarely helpful. On 2/13/12, Anne Lynn Wheeler l...@garlic.com wrote: arthur.gutow...@compuware.com (Art Gutowski) writes: Patterned after centuries (millenia?) of cultural character - raze the conquered and build your empire on the remains. re: http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2012b.html#74 IBM Doing Some Restructuring? http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2012b.html#76 IBM Doing Some Restructuring? I had sponsored Boyd's briefings at IBM in the 80s ... and he had a very interesting scenario for this. some Boyd URLs from around the web as well as past posts http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/subboyd.html Part of his briefings was that at the entry to WW2, the Army had to deploy a huge forces with little or no experience. To leverage the small amount of skilled/experienced resources they created a rigid, top-down command and control structure. He would then observe that this was then starting to have a significant downside on US corporate culture ... as former young WW2 officers, skilled in rigid, top-down commandcontrol structures were started to climb corporate ladders. They were beginning to implement similar infrastructures that assumed only the very few at the very top knew what they were doing and required rigid controls for large hordes that didn't know what they were doing. Something similar was touched on in Tandem Memos (even before I met Boyd) ... from IBM Jargon Tandem Memos - n. Something constructive but hard to control; a fresh of breath air (sic). That's another Tandem Memos. A phrase to worry middle management. It refers to the computer-based conference (widely distributed in 1981) in which many technical personnel expressed dissatisfaction with the tools available to them at that time, and also constructively criticised the way products were are developed. The memos are required reading for anyone with a serious interest in quality products. If you have not seen the memos, try reading the November 1981 Datamation summary. ... snip ... I had been blamed for online computer conferencing on the internal network in the late 70s early 80s (part of which was Tandem Memos) ... misc. past posts mentioning the internal network http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/subnetwork.html#internalnet part of the folklore was that when the executive committee was informed of online computer conferencing (and the internal network), 5of6 wanted to fire me. Boyd's explanation has been used more recently to explain a report that the ratio of executive compensation to employee compensation had exploded to 400:1 (Age of Greed, mentioned in earlier post, claims it spiked over 500:1), after having been 20:1 for a long time and 10:1 for most of the rest of the world. The other downside is that people at the bottom that may appear to know what they are doing, can be viewed as a threat. other recent posts mentioning Age of Greed: http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2012b.html#12 Sun Tzu, Boyd, strategy and extensions of same http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2012b.html#19 Buffett Tax and truth in numbers http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2012b.html#29 The speeds of thought, complexities of problems http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2012b.html#43 Where are all the old tech workers? http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2012b.html#54 The New Age Bounty Hunger -- Showdown at the SEC Corral -- virtualization experience starting Jan1968, online at home since Mar1970 -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN -- John Gilmore, Ashland, MA 01721 - USA -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: IBM Doing Some Restructuring?
On 2/13/2012 5:00 AM, Veilleux, Jon L wrote: I think that this paragraph is interesting: We were previously using configuration management version control, which required a lengthy code check-in process, said Clark Dudek, software developer, IBM Systems and Technology Group. Rational Team Concert has encouraged greater code collaboration and better work item tracking within my team. I guess IBM doesn't think they need version control anymore. Might that be why we are seeing more problems lately? IBM has been using Agile development for the past couple/few z/OS releases. I am not aware that this development model has been blamed for any recent increase in defects or if such an increase even exists. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agile_software_development I took the reference in the article to be simply a sales plug for IBM's Rational Concert--their particular for-sale software life-cycle management tool which supports Agile development. -- Edward E Jaffe Phoenix Software International, Inc 831 Parkview Drive North El Segundo, CA 90245 310-338-0400 x318 edja...@phoenixsoftware.com http://www.phoenixsoftware.com/ -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: IBM Doing Some Restructuring?
I have seen a drop in the quality control for z/OS and especially for sub-products but, as they say, YMMV. Jon -Original Message- From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List [mailto:IBM-MAIN@bama.ua.edu] On Behalf Of Edward Jaffe Sent: Monday, February 13, 2012 12:57 PM To: IBM-MAIN@bama.ua.edu Subject: Re: IBM Doing Some Restructuring? On 2/13/2012 5:00 AM, Veilleux, Jon L wrote: I think that this paragraph is interesting: We were previously using configuration management version control, which required a lengthy code check-in process, said Clark Dudek, software developer, IBM Systems and Technology Group. Rational Team Concert has encouraged greater code collaboration and better work item tracking within my team. I guess IBM doesn't think they need version control anymore. Might that be why we are seeing more problems lately? IBM has been using Agile development for the past couple/few z/OS releases. I am not aware that this development model has been blamed for any recent increase in defects or if such an increase even exists. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agile_software_development I took the reference in the article to be simply a sales plug for IBM's Rational Concert--their particular for-sale software life-cycle management tool which supports Agile development. -- Edward E Jaffe Phoenix Software International, Inc 831 Parkview Drive North El Segundo, CA 90245 310-338-0400 x318 edja...@phoenixsoftware.com http://www.phoenixsoftware.com/ -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN This e-mail may contain confidential or privileged information. If you think you have received this e-mail in error, please advise the sender by reply e-mail and then delete this e-mail immediately. Thank you. Aetna -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: IBM Doing Some Restructuring?
In CAKXAhqWuka6aU0PSMbAq14oReThhSmmvV90yd6r=jn90vbo...@mail.gmail.com, on 02/13/2012 at 09:10 AM, Chris Craddock crashlu...@gmail.com said: It isn't that they are no longer using configuration management - just different tools with a different world view. In the non-MF world the process involves developers creating their own individual branch from a base in a code repository, then working independently on the branches (coding/unit testing etc.) Then, somewhere down the road, they merge their changes into a new base. This offers greater parallelism than in other (let's say traditional) source management approaches where individual elements are locked while changes are made. ObQoheleth I wonder whether someone could invent a way to do that with XEDIT. -- Shmuel (Seymour J.) Metz, SysProg and JOAT ISO position; see http://patriot.net/~shmuel/resume/brief.html We don't care. We don't have to care, we're Congress. (S877: The Shut up and Eat Your spam act of 2003) -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: IBM Doing Some Restructuring?
On Mon, 13 Feb 2012 09:57:18 -0800, Edward Jaffe wrote: IBM has been using Agile development for the past couple/few z/OS releases. I am not aware that this development model has been blamed for any recent increase in defects or if such an increase even exists. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agile_software_development Gee, are you suggesting that some new technologies might be as good as or even better than what was used in the previous century? You'll have a hard time convincing some people. -- gil -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: IBM Doing Some Restructuring?
The official announcement is not due for 7 weeks, but the rumor is that IBM has new technology involving a massive BlueGene/Q system that will replace most of their software engineers, and that they have hired Jesse Anderson to lead the project http://www-03.ibm.com/systems/deepcomputing/solutions/bluegene/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infinite_monkey_theorem http://www.jesse-anderson.com/2011/10/a-few-million-monkeys-randomly-recreate-every-work-of-shakespeare/ On Mon, Feb 13, 2012 at 2:24 PM, Paul Gilmartin paulgboul...@aim.comwrote: On Mon, 13 Feb 2012 09:57:18 -0800, Edward Jaffe wrote: IBM has been using Agile development for the past couple/few z/OS releases. I am not aware that this development model has been blamed for any recent increase in defects or if such an increase even exists. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agile_software_development Gee, are you suggesting that some new technologies might be as good as or even better than what was used in the previous century? You'll have a hard time convincing some people. -- gil -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: IBM Doing Some Restructuring?
It's not mainframe v. non-mainframe. Rational Team Concert is available for z/OS, and you can even use it via ISPF if you choose. Isn't choice a wonderful thing? I think so. Timothy Sipples Resident Enterprise Architect (Based in Singapore) E-Mail: timothy.sipp...@us.ibm.com -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: IBM Doing Some Restructuring?
edja...@phoenixsoftware.com (Edward Jaffe) writes: It's hard for me to understand how any serious development projects can be done by temps. Software development is not a math problem. You can't just throw bodies at it to get things done more quickly. You need a smallish group of highly skilled people--the kind that usually have permanent gigs--and time for them to learn the infrastructure and architecture before they can be truly useful. Also, as with any complex subject, the learning curves can be fairly steep. OTOH, perhaps the projects they're envisioning don't involve actual development. Maybe they involve customization of OTS packages? re: http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2012b.html#74 IBM Doing Some Restructuring The cp40 paper makes references that small group of skilled experienced people are much more effective (which would also be cost effective) to large hords at the science center we would make references to heads rolled uphill for failed projects and/or piling bodies to try and save failing projects ... was attactive to executives since they tended to be compensated proportional to bodies in the executives organizations. Problems were frequently proportional to lack of skill/experience ... but then they would attempt to reframe lack of skill/experience as some innate difficulty of the task (as opposed to lack of skills/experience) ... requiring large hordes, much larger organization, etc. this shows up in spades in the Future System failure ... some past posts http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/submain.html#futuresys also referenced in this recent (Greater IBM) post http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2012.html#104 Can a business be democratic? Tom Watson Sr. thought so a smaller scale comparison was the System/R effort ... some past posts http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/submain.html#systemr that initially got out as SQL/DS ... being below the corporate radar as all focus was on the massive EAGLE effort ... then when EAGLE failed ... there was request how fast could there be a port of System/R - SQL/DS to MVS ... for what becomes DB2. There is also large intersection with the growing Success of Failure culture ... mentioned in this article http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0407/040407mm.htm but has been around in quite some time in many industries. A possible short-term window is that there may be a pocket of high-skilled/experienced people that have been laid off in various employment actions ... which could be available as temporary workers. This would tend to be a temporary anomoly in a culture transitioning from long-term, high-skilled workers to lots of focus on 3month horizon. This is also reflected in statistics of private-equity LBOs where the focus on short-term payback is eliminating lots of of RD (that tends to have payback long after the private-equity event). in another recent (Greater IBM) posts http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2012.html#4 The Myth of Work-Life Balance http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2012.html#57 The Myth of Work-Life Balance also discussed in these posts http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2012.html#45 You may ask yourself, how did I get here? http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2012.html#54 Report: Fed Officials Joke About Housing Crisis http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2012b.html#47 Where are all the old tech workers? past references to growing Success of Failure culture http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2009o.html#25 Opinions on the 'Unix Haters' Handbook' http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2009o.html#41 U.S. house decommissions its last mainframe, saves $730,000 http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2010b.html#19 STEM crisis http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2010b.html#26 Happy DEC-10 Day http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2010f.html#38 F.B.I. Faces New Setback in Computer Overhaul http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2010k.html#18 taking down the machine - z9 series http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2010p.html#78 TCM's Moguls documentary series http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2010q.html#5 Off-topic? When governments ask computers for an answer http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2010q.html#69 No command, and control http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2011b.html#0 America's Defense Meltdown http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2011c.html#45 If IBM Hadn't Bet the Company http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2011g.html#32 Congratulations, where was my invite? http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2011g.html#34 Congratulations, where was my invite? http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2011g.html#72 77,000 federal workers paid more than governors http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2011i.html#36 Having left IBM, seem to be reminded that IBM is not the same IBM I had joined http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2011i.html#79 Innovation and iconoclasm http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2011j.html#33 China Builds Fleet of Small Warships While U.S. Drifts http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2011k.html#41 Rafael Team with Raytheon to Offer Iron Dome in the U.S http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2011k.html#48 50th anniversary of BASIC, COBOL? http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2011l.html#0 Justifying application of Boyd to a project
Re: IBM Doing Some Restructuring?
On Feb 12, 2012, at 1:22 AM, Edward Jaffe edja...@phoenixsoftware.com wrote: On 2/11/2012 8:31 AM, Dave Day wrote: The idea of hiring temporary workers, the 'liquid' people referred to in the article, seems to me to be at odds with long term, successful growth. It's hard for me to understand how any serious development projects can be done by temps. Software development is not a math problem. You can't just throw bodies at it to get things done more quickly. You need a smallish group of highly skilled people--the kind that usually have permanent gigs--and time for them to learn the infrastructure and architecture before they can be truly useful. Also, as with any complex subject, the learning curves can be fairly steep. OTOH, perhaps the projects they're envisioning don't involve actual development. Maybe they involve customization of OTS packages. No Ed, customization of OTS packages (generally a bad idea btw) has exactly the same talent requirements you're referring to; a smallish group of highly skilled people. The specific skills may be slightly different, but I know you would not have any trouble relating to them. The (evidently popular) idea that you can pick a random group of (cheap) gunslingers and solve big system or application development problems is as bankrupt today as it ever was. It only ever works on a spreadsheet. Lord spare us from MBAs. CC Sent from my iPad -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: IBM Doing Some Restructuring?
Amen Ed, one word, mis-management dude to lack skill or knowledge Sent from my iPad Scott Ford Senior Systems Engineer www.identityforge.com On Feb 12, 2012, at 2:22 AM, Edward Jaffe edja...@phoenixsoftware.com wrote: On 2/11/2012 8:31 AM, Dave Day wrote: The idea of hiring temporary workers, the 'liquid' people referred to in the article, seems to me to be at odds with long term, successful growth. It's hard for me to understand how any serious development projects can be done by temps. Software development is not a math problem. You can't just throw bodies at it to get things done more quickly. You need a smallish group of highly skilled people--the kind that usually have permanent gigs--and time for them to learn the infrastructure and architecture before they can be truly useful. Also, as with any complex subject, the learning curves can be fairly steep. OTOH, perhaps the projects they're envisioning don't involve actual development. Maybe they involve customization of OTS packages? -- Edward E Jaffe Phoenix Software International, Inc 831 Parkview Drive North El Segundo, CA 90245 310-338-0400 x318 edja...@phoenixsoftware.com http://www.phoenixsoftware.com/ -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: IBM Doing Some Restructuring?
In 4f3768a5.40...@phoenixsoftware.com, on 02/11/2012 at 11:22 PM, Edward Jaffe edja...@phoenixsoftware.com said: It's hard for me to understand how any serious development projects can be done by temps. Software development is not a math problem. Don't confuse Mathematics with Arithmetic. You can't just throw bodies at it to get things done more quickly. Nor can you in Mathematics. OTOH, perhaps the projects they're envisioning don't involve actual development. One could hope. I suspect that they mean development of large components, and that it won't be a pretty picture from the customer side. -- Shmuel (Seymour J.) Metz, SysProg and JOAT ISO position; see http://patriot.net/~shmuel/resume/brief.html We don't care. We don't have to care, we're Congress. (S877: The Shut up and Eat Your spam act of 2003) -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: IBM Doing Some Restructuring?
Lord spare us from MBAs. CC Amen, Chris! -Original Message- From: Chris Craddock crashlu...@gmail.com To: IBM-MAIN IBM-MAIN@bama.ua.edu Sent: Sun, Feb 12, 2012 2:43 pm Subject: Re: IBM Doing Some Restructuring? On Feb 12, 2012, at 1:22 AM, Edward Jaffe edja...@phoenixsoftware.com wrote: On 2/11/2012 8:31 AM, Dave Day wrote: The idea of hiring temporary workers, the 'liquid' people referred to in the rticle, seems to me to be at odds with long term, successful growth. It's hard for me to understand how any serious development projects can be one by temps. Software development is not a math problem. You can't just throw bodies at it to get things done more quickly. You need a smallish group of ighly skilled people--the kind that usually have permanent gigs--and time for hem to learn the infrastructure and architecture before they can be truly seful. Also, as with any complex subject, the learning curves can be fairly teep. OTOH, perhaps the projects they're envisioning don't involve actual evelopment. Maybe they involve customization of OTS packages. o Ed, customization of OTS packages (generally a bad idea btw) has exactly the ame talent requirements you're referring to; a smallish group of highly skilled eople. The specific skills may be slightly different, but I know you would not ave any trouble relating to them. The (evidently popular) idea that you can ick a random group of (cheap) gunslingers and solve big system or application evelopment problems is as bankrupt today as it ever was. It only ever works on spreadsheet. Lord spare us from MBAs. CC Sent from my iPad -- or IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, end email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: IBM Doing Some Restructuring?
Wonder if they've even heard of Fred Brooks? ---quote--- Few books on software project management have been as influential and timeless as The Mythical Man-Month . With a blend of software engineering facts and thought ... search.barnesandnoble.com/Mythical-Man-Month/Frederick-P-Brooks-Jr/... --- end quote --- In a message dated 2/12/2012 2:07:39 P.M. Central Standard Time, aledlhug...@aol.com writes: Lord spare us from MBAs -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: IBM Doing Some Restructuring?
I will second that..been there done that and was extremely ugly Sent from my iPad Scott Ford Senior Systems Engineer www.identityforge.com On Feb 12, 2012, at 3:04 PM, Aled Hughes aledlhug...@aol.com wrote: Lord spare us from MBAs. CC Amen, Chris! -Original Message- From: Chris Craddock crashlu...@gmail.com To: IBM-MAIN IBM-MAIN@bama.ua.edu Sent: Sun, Feb 12, 2012 2:43 pm Subject: Re: IBM Doing Some Restructuring? On Feb 12, 2012, at 1:22 AM, Edward Jaffe edja...@phoenixsoftware.com wrote: On 2/11/2012 8:31 AM, Dave Day wrote: The idea of hiring temporary workers, the 'liquid' people referred to in the rticle, seems to me to be at odds with long term, successful growth. It's hard for me to understand how any serious development projects can be one by temps. Software development is not a math problem. You can't just throw bodies at it to get things done more quickly. You need a smallish group of ighly skilled people--the kind that usually have permanent gigs--and time for hem to learn the infrastructure and architecture before they can be truly seful. Also, as with any complex subject, the learning curves can be fairly teep. OTOH, perhaps the projects they're envisioning don't involve actual evelopment. Maybe they involve customization of OTS packages. o Ed, customization of OTS packages (generally a bad idea btw) has exactly the ame talent requirements you're referring to; a smallish group of highly skilled eople. The specific skills may be slightly different, but I know you would not ave any trouble relating to them. The (evidently popular) idea that you can ick a random group of (cheap) gunslingers and solve big system or application evelopment problems is as bankrupt today as it ever was. It only ever works on spreadsheet. Lord spare us from MBAs. CC Sent from my iPad -- or IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, end email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: IBM Doing Some Restructuring?
Remember Better, Faster, Cheaper? Still nothing that can fly after the shuttle, no plan on what to do next (if there is, it will change AGAIN), and more cutting back on capabilities (While other countries are moving forward). On 02/12/2012 04:37 PM, Scott Ford wrote: I will second that..been there done that and was extremely ugly Sent from my iPad Scott Ford Senior Systems Engineer www.identityforge.com On Feb 12, 2012, at 3:04 PM, Aled Hughesaledlhug...@aol.com wrote: Lord spare us from MBAs. CC Amen, Chris! -Original Message- From: Chris Craddockcrashlu...@gmail.com To: IBM-MAINIBM-MAIN@bama.ua.edu Sent: Sun, Feb 12, 2012 2:43 pm Subject: Re: IBM Doing Some Restructuring? On Feb 12, 2012, at 1:22 AM, Edward Jaffeedja...@phoenixsoftware.com wrote: On 2/11/2012 8:31 AM, Dave Day wrote: The idea of hiring temporary workers, the 'liquid' people referred to in the rticle, seems to me to be at odds with long term, successful growth. It's hard for me to understand how any serious development projects can be one by temps. Software development is not a math problem. You can't just throw bodies at it to get things done more quickly. You need a smallish group of ighly skilled people--the kind that usually have permanent gigs--and time for hem to learn the infrastructure and architecture before they can be truly seful. Also, as with any complex subject, the learning curves can be fairly teep. OTOH, perhaps the projects they're envisioning don't involve actual evelopment. Maybe they involve customization of OTS packages. o Ed, customization of OTS packages (generally a bad idea btw) has exactly the ame talent requirements you're referring to; a smallish group of highly skilled eople. The specific skills may be slightly different, but I know you would not ave any trouble relating to them. The (evidently popular) idea that you can ick a random group of (cheap) gunslingers and solve big system or application evelopment problems is as bankrupt today as it ever was. It only ever works on spreadsheet. Lord spare us from MBAs. CC Sent from my iPad -- or IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, end email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: IBM Doing Some Restructuring?
On 2/12/2012 11:41 AM, Chris Craddock wrote: The (evidently popular) idea that you can pick a random group of (cheap) gunslingers and solve big system or application development problems is as bankrupt today as it ever was. It only ever works on a spreadsheet. It's funny how so often, despite Santayana's admonishments, new management teams implement the same failed ideas (with new names) all over again. Politicians do this every 4-8 years or so. Must be human nature... :-\ -- Edward E Jaffe Phoenix Software International, Inc 831 Parkview Drive North El Segundo, CA 90245 310-338-0400 x318 edja...@phoenixsoftware.com http://www.phoenixsoftware.com/ -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
IBM Doing Some Restructuring?
http://socialbarrel.com/ibm-job-cuts-in-germany-8000-may-be-laid-off/31574/ Rumor has it that IBM is laying off up to 40% of its workforce in Germany. At the same time they are testing a new global temporary worker program that they believe can speed up project implementation by 30% and reduce costs by 1/3. -- Edward E Jaffe Phoenix Software International, Inc 831 Parkview Drive North El Segundo, CA 90245 310-338-0400 x318 edja...@phoenixsoftware.com http://www.phoenixsoftware.com/ -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: IBM Doing Some Restructuring?
edja...@phoenixsoftware.com (Edward Jaffe) writes: http://socialbarrel.com/ibm-job-cuts-in-germany-8000-may-be-laid-off/31574/ Rumor has it that IBM is laying off up to 40% of its workforce in Germany. At the same time they are testing a new global temporary worker program that they believe can speed up project implementation by 30% and reduce costs by 1/3. recently item/discussion in (closed linkedin group) Greater IBM: How IBM saved $300 million by going agile; Behind the scenes on IBM's agile transformation Look, ma! The elephant's dancing even faster! https://www.ibm.com/developerworks/mydeveloperworks/blogs/invisiblethread/entry/ibm-agile-transformation-how-ibm-saved-300-million-by-going-agile?lang=en my post/response in the thread: for comparison see this (1982 SEAS aka European SHARE) presentation on development of cp/40 http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/cp40seas1982.txt ... snip ... and in another blog somewhere, somebody did a recent review of Gerstner's Who Says Elephants Can't Dance? http://www.amazon.com/Elephants-Dance-Inside-Historic-Turnaround/dp/0060523794 and my response ... A couple recent posts mentioning Gerstner's resurrection of IBM in (closed linkedin) Greater IBM (currentformer employees) http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2012.html#57 above mentions Age of Greed discussing a few wallstreet players (including Gerstner) during 80s90s. also in (open linkedin) Mainframe Experts -- really long-winded post discussing runup to IBM going into the red http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2012.html#92 above mentions Strategic Intuition that somewhat compares Microsoft, Apple, Google and Gerstner's resurrection of IBM another Greater IBM in Can a business be democratic? Tom Watson Sr. thought so discussion -- some reference to factors leading up to Gerstner's resurrection of IBM http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2012.html#104 and repeated again in this Greater IBM discussion: Original Thinking Is Hard, Where Good Ideas Come From http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2012b.html#59 and http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2012b.html#68 and http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2012b.html#72 ... snip ... -- virtualization experience starting Jan1968, online at home since Mar1970 -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: IBM Doing Some Restructuring?
Well, hindsight being 20-20, it is obvious management within IBM has done both some incredibly smart, and incredibly dumb moves over the past 30 yrs. or so. I know every time I applied for a job, I always wanted to work on a part time basis, because I just didn't want that feeling of security everyone has to some degree when they take permanent full-time employment. And every time I have worked on a part time job, when an offer came along for a full time position, I always turned it down. Mostly because I felt loyalty to the current employer for offering me the part-time, temporary position instead of making me take full-time employment. And for sure, we all know software development is much easier when you don't have the previous developers around to just clutter things up when you are spending all that time going thru the code to try to figure out why this or that function is coded the way it is. The idea of hiring temporary workers, the 'liquid' people referred to in the article, seems to me to be at odds with long term, successful growth. IBM is adopting Walmart's business model on this one. --Dave On 2/11/2012 10:06 AM, Edward Jaffe wrote: http://socialbarrel.com/ibm-job-cuts-in-germany-8000-may-be-laid-off/31574/ Rumor has it that IBM is laying off up to 40% of its workforce in Germany. At the same time they are testing a new global temporary worker program that they believe can speed up project implementation by 30% and reduce costs by 1/3. -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: IBM Doing Some Restructuring?
On 2/11/2012 8:31 AM, Dave Day wrote: The idea of hiring temporary workers, the 'liquid' people referred to in the article, seems to me to be at odds with long term, successful growth. It's hard for me to understand how any serious development projects can be done by temps. Software development is not a math problem. You can't just throw bodies at it to get things done more quickly. You need a smallish group of highly skilled people--the kind that usually have permanent gigs--and time for them to learn the infrastructure and architecture before they can be truly useful. Also, as with any complex subject, the learning curves can be fairly steep. OTOH, perhaps the projects they're envisioning don't involve actual development. Maybe they involve customization of OTS packages? -- Edward E Jaffe Phoenix Software International, Inc 831 Parkview Drive North El Segundo, CA 90245 310-338-0400 x318 edja...@phoenixsoftware.com http://www.phoenixsoftware.com/ -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
