Searching for a paper (software engineering).

[rsobr...@eudoramail.com]

I remember reading a post in comp.lang.lisp that referenced a software
engineering paper. The gist of the paper was that managing a software
project was an NP-complete problem: the cost of completely specifying a
project is the same as completely developing it.

I have been searching for that post for quite some time and I have been
unable to dredge it up. I don't remember when the post was made, or
who the poster was (though I think it was Gorbag), nor do I remember
anything about the actually article.

I wonder if you guys could help me out? Does any of this ring a bell?
Any sort of link to this paper would be greatly appreciated.

(Please don't email me -- would you mind posting instead? I have some
difficulty retrieving mail with this email address. Thank you).

[Ken Tilton]

rsobr...@eudoramail.com wrote:
> I remember reading a post in comp.lang.lisp that referenced a software
> engineering paper. The gist of the paper was that managing a software
> project was an NP-complete problem: the cost of completely specifying a
> project is the same as completely developing it.
>
> I have been searching for that post for quite some time and I have been
> unable to dredge it up.

Possibly because...

> I don't remember when the post was made, or
> who the poster was (though I think it was Gorbag), nor do I remember
> anything about the actually article.

Now that is what I call a complete specification!

OK, possibly your condition arises from a rather natural process in
which perception actually involves quite a bit of interpretation, the
best example being people paraphrasing text as they attempt to read it
aloud verbatim.

I offer this because your first paragraph reminded me (via reverse
pharaphrasing) of:

http://www.developerdotstar.com/mag/articles/reeves_design_main.html

The cost of coding and design being the same is merely implicit in them
being the same, so I could see you taking away that synopsis. And I did
mention the Reeves papers here in the past year.

hth, kt

--
Cells: http://common-lisp.net/project/cells/

"I'll say I'm losing my grip, and it feels terrific."
-- Smiling husband to scowling wife, New Yorker cartoon

[Paolo Amoroso]

rsobr...@eudoramail.com writes:

> I remember reading a post in comp.lang.lisp that referenced a software
> engineering paper. The gist of the paper was that managing a software
> project was an NP-complete problem: the cost of completely specifying a
> project is the same as completely developing it.

[...]

> I wonder if you guys could help me out? Does any of this ring a bell?

It does, but I don't know whether it's the right bell:

Large Limits to Software Estimation
http://www.idiom.com/~zilla/Work/kcsest.pdf

Mathematical Limits to Software Estimation - Supplementary Material
http://www.idiom.com/~zilla/Work/Softestim/softestim.html

Paolo
--
Why Lisp? http://wiki.alu.org/RtL%20Highlight%20Film
The Common Lisp Directory: http://www.cl-user.net

[rsobr...@eudoramail.com]

>
> Large Limits to Software Estimation
> http://www.idiom.com/~zilla/Work/kcsest.pdf
>
> Mathematical Limits to Software Estimation - Supplementary Material
> http://www.idiom.com/~zilla/Work/Softestim/softestim.html
>
>

Thank you so very much! These are the ones!

(Thanks to Madhu for replying and KT for the Reeves paper).