>On Mar 6, 2009, at 10:11 AM, Jordan Hayes wrote:
>
>>This is the ENTIRE POINT of his little anecdote. And it's ENTIRELY
>>false.
>
>I think that wojtek's point was that there are many ways to address a
>design problem - and that sometimes the most sensible route is
>overlooked. And true or false, the anecdote makes that point very
>effectively.
>
>martin
but it doesn't make it at all. using pencils was very dangerous!
the true story confirms, instead, that it is sometimes really important to spend a lot of money to produce something that isn't 'right before our eyes.'
i'd use the true story to point out to people who want to take the easy way out that, in the long run, their easy way might be a big problem.
the true story does confirm other points that were made though: that having a steady customer in the u.s. government or a potential steady customer is a big incentive for a private firm to undertake the investment in r&d since they can count on - predict - future sales.
shag
"let's be civil and nice, but not to the point of obeying the rules of debate as defined by liberal blackmail (in which, discomfort caused by a challenge is seen as some vague form of harassment)."
-- Dwayne Monroe, 11/19/08
-- http://cleandraws.com Wear Clean Draws