From: ··········@eudoramail.com
Subject: Searching for a paper (software engineering).
Date: 
Message-ID: <1161057684.139494.105520@h48g2000cwc.googlegroups.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).
From: Ken Tilton
Subject: Re: Searching for a paper (software engineering).
Date: 
Message-ID: <v92Zg.9$QJ5.6@newsfe10.lga>
··········@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
From: Paolo Amoroso
Subject: Re: Searching for a paper (software engineering).
Date: 
Message-ID: <874pu3arwf.fsf@plato.moon.paoloamoroso.it>
··········@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
From: ··········@eudoramail.com
Subject: Re: Searching for a paper (software engineering).
Date: 
Message-ID: <1161131457.686387.132280@m73g2000cwd.googlegroups.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).
comp.lang.lisp / 2006 / oct