Computing Calamities
Lessons Learned From Products, Projects, and Companies that Failed
Published on 8. December 1998
Book
Paperback/Softback
352 pages
978-0-13-082862-0 (ISBN)
Description
In his follow-up to the best-selling Software Runaways, Robert Glass brings together 30 of the worst computer-industry failures of all time -- and shows how you can prevent disaster from happening to you. Computer Calamities is organized into six short sections, each featuring a collection of articles relating to a particular type of computer-industry disaster. All the biggest failures of the past decade are here: Cray's failed supercomputers; Citicorp's $600 million blunder; the collapse of Wang; the failure of the Commodore Amiga; Jim Manzi's Nets, Inc., Unisys' mismanaged Usoft, and dozens more. If you enjoyed (and learned from) Software Runaways, you'll love Computing Calamities.
Reviews / Votes
'When reading this book, youll often shake your head in disbelief at the stupidity that apparently intelligent people exhibit at times... In the end, however, you may learn some valuable lessons that will ensure that you are not featured in the books next edition!' - Peter G. Aitken, Visual Developer magazineMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
Upper Saddle River
United States
Publishing group
Pearson Education (US)
Target group
College/higher education
Dimensions
Height: 230 mm
Width: 150 mm
Thickness: 20 mm
Weight
530 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-13-082862-0 (9780130828620)
Copyright in bibliographic data is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or its licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Robert Glass is an author and consultant on software quality issues who has written more than 10 books on the topic. He owns his own company, Computing Trends, and writes a column on software Engineering for ACM Communications Magazine. He is also author of Software Runaways: Lessons Learned from Massive Software Project Failures.
Content
1. Introduction: Whats So Great About Failure? 2. Overview: The Many Faces of Failure. When Failure Means Success. The Role of the White Knight. How to Avoid Stepping in Something. 3. Keep Your Eyes on the Enterprise: Stories of Corporate Failure. Big Vision, Small Result. Together We Fall. Not-So-Supercomputing. Crooks and Spies and Other Guys. Grasping Failure from the Jaws of Success. 4. Mission Impossibles Dirty Little Secrets: Stories of Project and Product Failure. The Eyes/Stomach Tradeoff. Hitting the Wrong Bullseye. The Operation Was a Success, but the Patient Died. It Just Wasnt Meant to Be. 5. The Taming of the Shrewd: Stories of Failures of the Best and Brightest. The Successful Research Center that Failed. The Failed Research Project that Some Called a Success. Blight Comes to the Ivy-Covered Walls. 6. Summary: Now Remind Me-Whats So Great About Failure? Index.