[LRUG] This can't be right...

[Daniel Lucraft]

Gov Guy: We need to add a new field to the database.

EDS Guy: [makes sucking noise through teeth and pretends to consult 
notes], At this late stage? You know adding a field to the database will 
cost you. One. Hundred. Thousand. Pounds.

Gov Guy: Oh dear, really? But all we want to do is track their hair 
colour...

EDS Guy: Hair colour? Hair COLOUR??? Storing COLOUR information in a 
database is incredibly difficult -

Gov guy: Wait, why?

EDS Guy: Because computers can't understand colours you fool!

Gov guy: well, that makes sense I suppose.

EDS Guy: adding this information to the database will cost you: 1. 
MILLION. POUNDS.

....

Matthew Jacobs wrote:
> I imagine they must have had a team of several thousand developers 
> working on it.
> It makes so much sense.
> 
> I'm happy to tender to take over the contract.
> How much does certification cost?
> 
> On 09/08/07, *Daniel Lucraft* <dan at fluentradical.com 
> <mailto:dan at fluentradical.com>> wrote:
> 
>     Right and right.
> 
>     TO be fair, even the Ministry choked on £950m. The original costing was
>     'only' £235m and they've halted it after spending 'only' £155m.
> 
>     Even so though, I can't think where the money is going. I can't even
>     think where they SAY the money is going.
> 
>     Dan
> 
>     Chris Parsons wrote:
>      > On 9 Aug 2007, at 09:54, Daniel Lucraft wrote:
>      >
>      >> Here's the deal. The Ministry of Justice orders an application from
>      >> EDS
>      >> to track prisoner's parole status nationally. Requirements:
>      >> (1) 300,000 prisoners to track.
>      >> (2) 70,000 users total, spread around the country.
>      >>
>      >> EDS bill?   £945m.
>      >>
>      >> WTF? Anyone have any comments on this? How is that possible?
>      >
>      > I know, it's absolutely insane. You could build something like this
>      > for 10,000th of the price. It's almost worth getting ISO9001
>      > certified so that you can start getting some of these contracts.
>      >
>      > When (if) government clues onto how much cheaper good software can
>      > be, however, I'm not sure the ramifications are that good ("Hey,
>     look
>      > how affordable bureaucracy just got! Let's build 1000 extra features
>      > in to *really* keep track of everyone!")
>      >
>      > Chris
>      >
>      > --
>      > Chris Parsons
>      > Managing Director
>      > Eden Development (UK) Ltd
>      >
>      > chris at edendevelopment.co.uk <mailto:chris at edendevelopment.co.uk>
>      > www.edendevelopment.co.uk <http://www.edendevelopment.co.uk>
>      >
>      > 0845 0097 094
>      > po box 425, winchester, so23 0wy, uk
>      > Map: http://pininthemap.com/edendevelopment
>      >
>      >
>      > Tried Pin in the Map? Mark a map location, add text, send to
>     friends.
>      > http://pininthemap.com
>      >
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