Lasse's weblog - On IBM open sourcing RUP

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[SW Eng] On IBM open sourcing RUP

You read correctly. IBM is open sourcing RUP.

My take on this? I think this is the process world's equivalent for The Daily WTF.

The only reason why open sourcing RUP would make a splash in someone's world would--in my opinion--be because that someone can now get part of the supporting software free of charge. Yeah. Too bad that the software is just a loaded gun with which you can easily shoot yourself in the foot...

Take this quote from one of the news articles Pete links to: "They will also donate 300,000 lines of code, which will serve as the foundation for a proposed tool to capture best practices in software development." Now I might be a bit daft but how on earth will 300,000 lines of software capture "best practices in software development"? No, let me rephrase that. Why on earth would we need 300,000 lines of software to capture best practices in software development? Oh, and why on earth would I listen to what "CapGemini, BearingPoint, Covansys, Number Six Software, Armstrong Process Group, and Unisys" say about best practices in software development? That's like asking a Gartner analyst to write the software for your prosthetic heart.

Yes, I'm ranting and I digress.

Seriously speaking, I see this as just another publicity stunt by IBM. They realize that RUP is not going to be the kind of cash cow it used to be for much longer. The Fortune 500 is experimenting with agile methods after the consultancies gave RUP a bad rap by tailoring monstrous processes for their clients in exchange for hefty sums of cash plus a front row season ticket in the IT project spending spree that followed.

I feel sorry for Philippe Kruchten, the 90's equivalent for Dr. Royce. A smart guy, Kruchten created a decent framework for tailoring a software process to specific situations. Then the consultants came and got it all wrong.

Sigh.

TrackBacks[0] Comments[2] Posted by lasse on October 13, 2005 11:52:45 PM EEST

Reply | Permalink Re: On IBM open sourcing RUP

I think they're feeling the heat from Microsoft's Visual Studio Team System. Team System is priced tens of thousands of dollars less, is more integrated with Microsoft products (of course), and will definitely put a dent in their gross margins. So I think you're right. :)

Comment from Darrell on October 14, 2005 11:57:29 PM EEST

Reply | Permalink Re: On IBM open sourcing RUP

I'm currently tailoring the 'monstrous processes' for a client using Rational Process Workbench (RPW). I consider the RUP a usefull starting point for most organizations but one that needs tailoring. The framework is rich enough to make a good process definition but is too complicated and cumbersome to get everybody involved in creating and maintaining it. The next release of RPW has improvements in that direction. I'm skeptical though whether it will make easy enough to work with.

I'm skeptical about Teams Systems too! I might be 'cheapier' but I think these large vendors have a natural tendency to make things more complicated than they need to be. I would not be surprised if Team Systems will offer just as bloated an environment as most J2EE environments.

Another thought, when we call a Microsoft product cheap I cannot help thinking about those expensive lawsuites and huge profits. Where is that money coming from? Who is paying for that in the end?

Comment from Onno on November 5, 2005 12:36:25 PM EET

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