Tuesday, July 05, 2011

90% of Software Projects Fail

In reply to the delusional asshole programmer who commented on my other post claiming the software industry's modus of failures was perfectly acceptable and didn't see any meaningful difference between it and any other industries ... I just want to share this little gem of a paper which I ran across in my delicious account. (I was trying to find stats I'd bookmarked about how Americans are stingy assholes compared to Scandinavians.)

From the paper (emphasis added),

On the success side, the average is only 16.2% for software projects that are completed on-time and on-budget. In the larger companies, the news is even worse: only 9% of their projects come in on-time and on-budget. And, even when these projects are completed, many are no more than a mere shadow of their original specification requirements. Projects completed by the largest American companies have only approximately 42% of the originally-proposed features and functions. Smaller companies do much better. A total of 78.4% of their software projects will get deployed with at least 74.2% of their original features and functions.

Yes, the software industry really does have a 90% failure rate! That's not hyperbole!

My personal OS project is long-delayed but the design has grown to include greater than 500% of the original features and functions. So I can only sneer contemptuously at those who ship broken down software without a trace of shame or embarrassment. I do not consider shipping a castrated version of what you promised to be any kind of success. I consider it a clear and total failure.

As opposed to my own project which even when it ships will only be not-exactly-a-failure-and-not-exactly-a-success.

Except you know what? I distinctly recall saying 10 years ago something like "even if it takes me 10 years to ship, it won't matter because the software industry is so stagnant, my OS will still be revolutionary then". And back then I knew it would take me two years to ship if I got support. Which I never got.

So yeah, I could have shipped a long time ago. I didn't because the worst conditions I imagined actually came to pass. Which puts me now on the exact time-frame I predicted back then.

I blame the failure part of my project on you all. I claim the success entirely for myself. I hate you all and fuck you very much for nothing you narrow-minded selfish fucking assholes.

And in case you read this far, the reason I'm now willing to talk about this is because as of before yesterday I've substantially finished design so the massively unpredictable part is over and the easy job is starting. Meanwhile, you guys couldn't even hack the easy part. Nor could you predict the predictable part. So I ask, what the fuck are you good for?

13 comments:

dmbarbour said...

My personal OS project is long-delayed but the design has grown to include greater than 500% of the original features and functions.

Are you planning to post a list of features to the Suberian blog any time soon?

Richard Kulisz said...

Nobody cares and I don't think in terms of features anyways. I don't think in terms engineers can understand.

Whenever I publish serious work, I have only scorn, denigration, open hatred and apathy to look forward to.

So I've learned well. I have learned to loathe and despise engineers and to wish all of those contemptible amoral fucks dead.

Add to that concerns about being scooped by a half-wit BECAUSE of their scorn for me and I just have NOTHING to gain by freely talking about my work in public.

I will say this. I look forward to the day when engineers are slaves and they know their status as such.

I want to know this from you David:

why do you propose I submit myself to my intellectual inferiors?

who hate me?

why do you propose I go through their rituals?

and play their status games?

I have my own status games that I play. In them, you lose by lying, by deceiving yourself or by being deluded. I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of engineers whom I have known who didn't lose that way.

dmbarbour said...

If you don't share your ideas to be judged by others, the worst that can happen is that they die with you. Unfortunately, that's also the best that can happen.

I'm not so concerned about features in particular. I would like to see real status for Suberian, as it evolves over time. Whether you discuss architecture, applications, implementation, function, or 'features', I'm sure much of it would be interesting and some might even be applicable to my own projects.

dmbarbour said...

I'll offer a question for your own:

Why do you spend so much of your time and energy on hate?

This is the first era in all of human history in which ideas can be cheaply shared and given life in a machine. Not even the printing press comes close.

Why do you spend so much of your time and energy reading hateful things and spreading messages of hate?

Richard Kulisz said...

David, as I recall you distinctly hated my judging your project. So don't be such a hypocrite.

Besides, as I've already proven in the pages of this blog, engineers are incapable of judgement.

To answer your question, you can read On Hatred. But I will tell you two additional things.

In order to hate the world absolutely, it is sufficient to have just two core values. These are passion and truth.

So long as you care about caring, you will always care about the world. And so long as you care about truth, you will never lie to yourself about it.

These two core values ALONE are sufficient for anyone who possesses them to absolutely hate the world. Because the world, and especially the USA, cherishes apathy and lies. Why? Because if they did not then they would FEEL BAD. Sound familiar?

The other thing I will tell you is that how much you care can be measured directly and numerically by how many core values you possess. I possess 9 core values, which is pretty much at the top end of the range.

And when I judge the world against these core values, on a 7 point scale going from -3 to +3, I come up with:
-3, -3, -2, -2, -2, -3, -2, -2 and -2. Core values do not average out by the way, they intersect, so the overall value is -3.

And the final thing you should understand is that hatred is a -2 emotion alongside rage and loathing. -3 emotions are fury, wrath, and livid. Other -3 emotions are outrage, revulsion and contempt.

I'm a big fan of contempt but what the world really deserves is WRATH.

So when you ask "why is it that I hate so much" my answer is "because I spend so much time successfully avoiding thinking about how fucked up the world is". That's how I'm able to SCALE DOWN to hatred. (amused delight)

dmbarbour said...

David, as I recall you distinctly hated my judging your project. So don't be such a hypocrite.

I disliked how you associated it with some other project, then denounced it based on shallow similarities, then filled your next several messages with insults, invective, vile, and hate.

Conversation with you is a chancy prospect at best. There is no opportunity for clarification.

you can read On Hatred

Hatred isn't evil, good isn't nice. So what? The question I asked was about you specifically: what are you from spending so much of your time and energy on hate? Or is this wasted time, and wasted energy?

I suppose utility is not among your core values?

Richard Kulisz said...

I think your last questions amply prove why I dismissed you as worthless the first time around. They are the questions of an engineer, a man incapable of vision.

What you dismiss as insults and invective are plain statements of fact. Like the fact that you are blind. And the other fact that it's a waste of time trying to explain colour to the blind.

dmbarbour said...

Ah. Well, I wish you luck in making progress on Suberian, in between power-lifting all your self hatred.

Richard Kulisz said...

It's just you I hate.

dmbarbour said...

You belie your claims of 'truth as a core value'.

Richard Kulisz said...

I hate you because you lie. I hoped you'd gotten out of the habit but I was kidding myself.

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

Hi Richard!
I like your ideas and posts and I agree that even if it takes you 10 years to ship, it won't matter because the software industry is so stagnant, your OS will still be revolutionary then.

I posted similar thoughts about stagnant industry at the end of this link: http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?CopyAndPaste

Interestingly I came to the same conclusion independently from you before I've read your blog.

Here are my toughts on how to make software projects to succeed: c2.com/cgi/wiki?AustrianSchoolOfProgramming

Also take a look at my ideas in Additional Information / Ideas and Inventions section of this link: http://www.indeed.com/me/alpav

You encouraged my ideas back in 2006 and I would like to get in touch with you, but I don't know how.

You are welcome to connect with me on LinkedIn http://lnkd.in/2QHGgF