Now I do not think software (72) have less inherent courage and firmness than chefs, nor than other engineering managers. But false (73 ) to match the patron' s desired date is much more common in our discipline than elsewhere in engineering. It is very (74) to make a vigorous, plausible, and job risking defense of an estimate that is derived by no quantitative method, supported by little data, and certified chiefly by the hunches of the managers.
Clearly two solutions are needed. We need to develop and publicize productivity figures, bug-incidence figures, estimating rules, and so on. The whole profession can only profit from (75) such data. Until estimating is on a sounder basis, individual managers will need to stiffen their backbones and defend their estimates with the assurance that their poor hunches are better than wish derived estimates.
(71)
A．no
B．the same
C．other
D．lots of