Frankly, I don't see the need for such a vitriolic, and rather insulting, post. I noticed it's your first post on Artima, but still ...
We are trying to have a conversation here. If you read the original post more carefully, you'll see that it's trying solicit feedback and experiences from both sides of the metric camp so that we can learn from other people's experiences. We want to gain a better understanding of other people's position so we can revisit and adjust ours - not sling mud at each other.
> No, software metrics are not evil. Many things are evil. > Software metrics are more on the lines of "pathetic." > " They are definitely useless
Those are very strong words. I can see someone saying things like: "I have tried several metrics and found them not useful", or "software metrics don't really apply in my situation"; but I can't see how anyone can categorically label all metrics as 'pathetic' and 'definitively useless'.
Unless, that is, you consider yourself above all other people in the industry in terms of intelligence, experience and insight, and consider everyone who uses metrics as 'pathetic' and deluded. I, and many others, have found software metrics - when used judiciously and in the right context - to be incredibly useful; if not downright necessary in some cases.
> I'd reserve it [a silver bullet] for people who argue > that software metrics have any conceivable value at > all, without significant comparative work.
Thanks for the warning - I'll stay out of firing range :-).
I don't know what you would consider 'significant comparable' work; but I would argue that there has been a lot of significant and valuable research on software metrics at pretty much every major academic and industrial institution involved in software that you can name. You could probably spend the rest of your days catching up with all the work in this area.
If you took the time to check the body of research and experimentation in software metrics, you'll see that most researchers and practitioners approach the subject with a great deal of skepticism and respect. They know that metrics must be used with care. They know that, in the wrong hands, they can be OVER-used, ABused, and MISused. But they also know that properly used, software metrics can provide uniquely valuable insights.
IMO, to label the work of these people as 'pathetic' and 'definitely useless' shows not only a lack of respect, but a profound lack of understanding.
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