| ". . . absolutely dynamite!" —Roger
S. Pressman
IEEE Software
"This book should be
presented as a graduation present to all senior computer science majors. And they
should be forced to read it before they receive their diplomas." —Charles
Ashbacher
Charles Ashbacher Technologies
Mathematics and Computer Education
".
. . a collection of delightful essays about software engineering." —Ron
Jeffries
ATMUSER
"Very provocative
but absolutely grounded in the reality of experience, DeMarco's perspectives apply
across the continuum of innovation management—not just software. His essay
'Mad about Measurement,' on the managerial misapplication of productivity measures,
should be read by anyone who's ever had to oversee a reengineering or 'change
management' initiative." —Michael Schrage
Across the Board
". . . provocative . . . will
force you to think. . . . the book is well worth reading." —Paul
Gray
Information Systems Management
"I
can confidently assure you that you'll receive a minimum of 24 'Aha's' and well
over 24 laughs by the time you finish Why Does Software Cost So Much? .
. . a well-chosen 'Aha' is worth hundreds, thousands, or even a million dollars
to a software organization." —Ed
Yourdon
American Programmer
"Tom DeMarco is a master of the essay. The
24 essays in his latest book demonstrate his skill,
exploring a range of issues facing the computing
industry. DeMarco's style is unique and can best
be described as a brilliant combination of honesty
and 'damn the torpedoes' philosophy. DeMarco's book
is abuzz with ideas, alive with whimsical anecdotes,
and full of concerns for a computing industry not
quite on the right path. . . .
"I could rave nonstop about how great 'The
Choir and the Team' and 'Rock and Roll and Cola
War' and all the other essays are, but you really
must read them yourself. You may not agree with
every one, but you will certainly be amused, educated,
and stimulated by DeMarco's romp through topics
such as corporate politics, sociology, elementary
education, video complexity, why Macintoshes are
better than IBM-compatible personal computers, and
a retrospective look at structured analysis. Enjoy
the ride."
—Alan
M. Davis
Editor-in-Chief, IEEE Software
"Tom's writing can be likened to a pebble
dropped into a pond—it makes the reader's mind
move in expanding circles from a specific topic
to a more general conclusion.
". . . The main value of the book is that
it does not just repeat the common aphorisms of
the software world, but takes a hard look at which
ones are based on reality and which ones seem to
have emerged from hot air."
—Capers Jones
Chairman,
Software Productivity Research, Inc. | 
