Re: [OT] System Conversion - An Overview

Charles Hottel wrote:

I have learned that we now have around 860 contractors working on
our "new" system. I put new in quotes because the current system was
used for the specifications for the new system. That 860 number is
after they got rid of a lot of SAP people. They tried to replace one
subsystem with 80% vanilla SAP and 20% ABAP, but the vanilla SAP
could not do even 60%. All of this just to say they no longer have
COBOL and now have the new and improved and 20% to 30% slower state
of the art Java. In one lunch room they have a huge chart of system
development processes and paperwork deliverables. If you live in the
USA then sorry, it it your tax dollars at work :-(

This echos what I've learned from long experience.

A large system designed from scratch will not work and cannot be made to
work. You have to start over with a working, smaller system. However, a
large system, produced by expanding the dimensions of a smaller system, does
not behave like the smaller system.

In a large system, malfunction, or even total non-function, may not be
detectable for long periods, if ever. The total behavior of large systems
cannot be predicted.

Some complex systems actually work. If a system is working, leave it alone.

In setting up a new system, tread softly. You may be disturbing another
system that is actually working.


.