Lowest cost bidder for critical code? yeah, right (Score 1)

I used to work in the defense industry. Management suggested that we streamline (aka - reduce testing) FLIGHT CRITICAL CODE for one of the navys fly-by-wire aircraft.

The suggestion, although noble from a business profit/motive standpoint, didnt "FLY".

Today I work in the utility industry. Although this industry don't have to worry so much about rebooting the onboard computer at 30,000 feet, they are no less demanding about extremely high quality code/high quality data for decision support (relax - this code doesn't run their nuclear reactor).

But the main point is - not only do they want that high quality code, they also want it *extremely flexible* and *maintainable* by a local resource.

See DELL as an example - DELL pulled back its business call center / support business because of such a strong business backlash at the *LOW QUALITY* support and the language nuances.

You can offshore a childs toy, making widgets, or sewing clothing; code, on the otherhand, is great at putting pressure on the current troops, but in the long run, it won't work.