Comments on: So you want to start a business? Come jam with us! https://softwareengineer.org.za/so-you-want-to-start-a-business-come-jam-with-us/318/ Passionate about the SA software industry Tue, 04 Jan 2011 11:54:42 +0200 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.2 hourly 1 By: Stefan https://softwareengineer.org.za/so-you-want-to-start-a-business-come-jam-with-us/318/comment-page-1/#comment-257 Stefan Fri, 15 Oct 2010 15:36:33 +0000 https://softwareengineer.org.za/?p=318#comment-257 I have just had the rare and nice opportunity to speak to a project manager who is working for a well-known South African software producer with international connections. (For an academic working at university, like myself, chances to meet industrial project managers are rather small.) I have asked this man if any big industrial insurance company (e.g. Loyd) would be willing to financially insure a software project from going "pear-shaped", in a similar way in which Loyd would (for example) financially insure a cargo ship full of container freight against sinking in the ocean on its way between the ports of Durban and Shanghai. The project manager answered: "no", Loyd would not insure a software project against failure, and he also said that they had really tried to get such an insurance policy from Loyd. What does this "no" from Loyd imply? It implies that, for a big industrial insurance company it is /easier/ to statistically calculate and quantify in financial terms the risk of a cargo ship sinking in the middle of the ocean between Durban and Shanghai, than to calculate and quantify in financial terms the risk of a software project going "pear-shaped". Doesn't this story tell us a lot about our current "state of the art" in software engineering in these days? Thus I send best wishes to all the new and young software entrepreneurs - I admire your optimism against all odds. I have just had the rare and nice opportunity to speak to a project manager who is working for a well-known South African software producer with international connections. (For an academic working at university, like myself, chances to meet industrial project managers are rather small.)

I have asked this man if any big industrial insurance company (e.g. Loyd) would be willing to financially insure a software project from going “pear-shaped”, in a similar way in which Loyd would (for example) financially insure a cargo ship full of container freight against sinking in the ocean on its way between the ports of Durban and Shanghai.

The project manager answered: “no”, Loyd would not insure a software project against failure, and he also said that they had really tried to get such an insurance policy from Loyd.

What does this “no” from Loyd imply? It implies that, for a big industrial insurance company it is /easier/ to statistically calculate and quantify in financial terms the risk of a cargo ship sinking in the middle of the ocean between Durban and Shanghai, than to calculate and quantify in financial terms the risk of a software project going “pear-shaped”.

Doesn’t this story tell us a lot about our current “state of the art” in software engineering in these days?

Thus I send best wishes to all the new and young software entrepreneurs – I admire your optimism against all odds.

]]> By: David Jagoe https://softwareengineer.org.za/so-you-want-to-start-a-business-come-jam-with-us/318/comment-page-1/#comment-226 David Jagoe Mon, 06 Sep 2010 07:20:40 +0000 https://softwareengineer.org.za/?p=318#comment-226 Here is a direct link to the event page where you can register your interest: http://jcse.org.za/events/startup-session If you have any questions, you are welcome to contact me: david.jagoe@pragmagility.com or 0720198335. Here is a direct link to the event page where you can register your interest: http://jcse.org.za/events/startup-session

If you have any questions, you are welcome to contact me: david.jagoe@pragmagility.com or 0720198335.

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