ACM Sigmis Database最新文献

{"title":"Review of \"The Soul of a New Machine, by Tracy Kidder.\" Atlantic-Little and Brown, 1981","authors":"B. Ives","doi":"10.1145/1017692.1017698","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1145/1017692.1017698","url":null,"abstract":"The biggest problem is staying on top of the literature. I subscribe to over a dozen periodicals and rely on our librar y for many others. Those, coupled with the books I read , severely restrict my \" just-for-fun \" reading. What a delightful surprise, then, to discover a \"must-read\" professiona l book climbing the bestseller list. Tracy Kidder's new book is must reading for anyone involved in project management. Kidder spent parts of 197 9 observing the small group of computer engineers who designed and developed the Data General Eclipse MV/8000 , a 32-bit \"supermini\" computer. The \"Eagle,\" as it wa s code-named, had to be developed in record time if Dat a General was to remain competitive with vendors who ha d already shipped 32-bit machines. Kidder presents an intriguing view of Data General, its top and project-leve l managers and the tightly knit group of computer engineer s who built Eagle. Kidder thoughtfully examines the managerial , technical and ethical dimensions of the project. This is not project management as prescribed in textbooks . Estimates and schedules are set by management as impossible or nearly impossible targets, formal project-control tools are rarely employed, vertical communication is a variant of the mushroom theory and is never congratula-tory. But the impossible schedule is nearly met, and th e Eagle, a market success, is delivered before the competitio n can seriously erode Data General's market position. The key to success was not project control but motivation , motivation fostered in several ways. First, many of the project team members, \"the Hardy Boys \" and \"the micro kids,\" were college recruits ; they didn't know \"what' s supposed to be impossible,\" but they were told that the y were bright and being given an unusual opportunity to \" get a machine out the door with their name on it .\" Second, th e team was isolated, physically and organizationally, from th e rest of the company, but the members were frequently reminded of strong competition for resources from anothe r group working on what Data General considered to be a higher priority project. Third, the team members' jobs wer e to a large extent self-defined, and the group operated fairl y autonomously. Finally, intragroup competition was regularly kindled. These strategies contributed to the develop","PeriodicalId":152518,"journal":{"name":"ACM Sigmis Database","volume":"23 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"123755134","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Review of \"Computer Law and Tax Report, by Robert P. Bigelow.\" Warren, Gorham & Lamont, Inc.","authors":"J. Gorgone","doi":"10.1145/1017634.1017635","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1145/1017634.1017635","url":null,"abstract":"Robert P. Bigelow is a member of the Massachusetts Bar. 14is monthly loose-leaf publication provides upto-date information about computers and the legal ramifications of computer use. Each publication contains a table of contents which is reflected in an Annual Index for easy reference. The nine to 12 articles in each issue are concise and easy~to-read. Basic facts are given with references to the actual legal documents, and then helpful hints and commentaries are stated to assist readers in arriving at declisions regarding the specific legal or tax problem. Social issues related to computer use are interspersed throughout the issues with particular emphasis given to consumer attitudes and rights. The newly created legal and tax proMems generated by computer use make this publication a viable reading guide for any organization attempting to keep up with emerging information about cornputer law and tax problems. The annual subscription rate is $36 with a refund provided on the unexpired portion of the subscription if the reader is dissatisfied. Not many will be.","PeriodicalId":152518,"journal":{"name":"ACM Sigmis Database","volume":"20 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"127417239","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}