[SystemSafety] Practical Statistical Evaluation of Critical Software

[Derek M Jones]

Peter,

>> Does anybody have any empirical data we can talk about?
>
> Empirical data doesn't do anyone any good unless you have a valid analytical method to apply to them
> to draw inferences and obtain conclusions. It is thus occasionally a good idea to talk seriously
> about the methods. In particular when people such as yourself disparage valid methods for flippant
> reasons.

If there is little or no empirical data to test theories against then
theorizing should be flagged as speculative at best and treated as such,
or as philosophy.
Once we have data we can start doing engineering or science.

I have found comical remarks (or flippant, depending on your point of
view) a useful way of curtailing speculative theorizing that is taking
itself too seriously or philosophical expositions.

Please somebody, come forward with data that we can use to compare
models against and do some engineering.

-- 
Derek M. Jones           Software analysis
tel: +44 (0)1252 520667  blog:shape-of-code.coding-guidelines.com