Re: The joy of FORTRAN

On 02/10/2024 08:27, rbowman wrote:

On Tue, 1 Oct 2024 23:48:43 -0400, 186282@ud0s4.net wrote:
 

    Clients want "something" - but they're often not sure what that will
    look and feel like. They will ALWAYS have complaints, ALWAYS want
    more and more 'features', some of which will be incompatible with
    each other, added and may run off to somebody else expecting magic.

 I've reviewed RFPs where the requirement if Section II Paragraph 14c is
contradicted by Section VII Paragraph 37a. Particularly when dealing with
government agencies you realize the whole mess is a cut'n'paste of prior
RFPs that was never read in its entirety. (aside: I shudder to think about
those 1000 page laws the idiots pass)
 

I used to ask potential clients 'what can you absolutely not do without? Let's get that down first, and see how much it is going to cost, and then we can discuss the nice-to-haves in order of desirability and cost, and if possible, leave the option to add in more when your budget can take it'.
Most responded well to that approach.
Te 'I want everything for nothing' went on to buy Microsoft, or IBM instead. Promnmises are cheap enough if you never intend to honour them

To be honest there often is a lot of wishful thinking in the response.
"Well, we sorta, kinda can do that..."

Its at that point in the sales process that you need an experienced coder in with the salesman.
--
"I guess a rattlesnake ain't risponsible fer bein' a rattlesnake, but ah puts mah heel on um jess the same if'n I catches him around mah chillun".