| "As computer hardware capacity increases,
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| | This is but one example of Parkinson's
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| software becomes more bloated."
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| | Law as applied in computing.An another
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| - Bryce's LawINTRODUCTIONEver wonder why
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| | example, let's consider data transmission
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| our computers typically last no more than
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| | lines as used in networking. It doesn't
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| three years? Many contend it is because
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| | seem long ago we were using 14.4 baud
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| of the fast pace of technological
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| | modems over telephone lines. I remember
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| advancements. Maybe. But I tend to
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| | when we doubled the speed to 28.8 and
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| believe there is a little more to it than
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| | then 56.4. It seemed like the sky was
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| just that, namely "Parkinson's Law." For
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| | the limit with every increase. But
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| those of you who may have forgotten,
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| | eventually performance seemed to slow to
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| "Parkinson's Law" was devised by C.
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| | a crawl. Was it because the technology
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| Northcote Parkinson, noted British
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| | was aging or was it because our web pages
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| historian and author. His original book,
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| | were becoming bigger and more complicated
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| "Parkinson's Law: The Pursuit of
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| | requiring greater data volume over the
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| Progress," was introduced in 1958 and was
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| | lines? Frankly, it was the latter.
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| a top-selling management book for a
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| | Today, DSL and cable are commonplace in
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| number of years (it is still sold today).
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| | households as well as in business and
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| The book was based on his experience
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| | "dial-up" is rapidly becoming a thing of
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| with the British Civil Service. Among
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| | the past. But as data volume increases
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| his key observation's was that "work
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| | with the number of subscribers, will we
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| expands so as to fill the time available
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| | ever hit a wall in terms of capacity with
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| for its completion." Basically, he
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| | DSL and cable? Undoubtedly. Again, more
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| suggests that people make work in order
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| | due to Parkinson's Law then anything
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| to rationalize their employment.
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| | else.Make no mistake, computer hardware
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| Consequently, managers create
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| | and software vendors are acutely aware of
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| bureaucracies and superfluous work to
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| | the role of Parkinson's Law. It is what
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| justify their existence, not because it
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| | allows them to build-in planned
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| is really needed.As an aside, CEO's
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| | obsolescence into their products. As
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| clearly understood Parkinson's Law, which
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| | consumers reach capacity, they can either
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| became the driving force behind the
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| | add additional capacity or, more likely,
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| flattening of corporations in the 1990's,
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| | purchase new computers.There is
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| such as General Electric under Jack
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| | undoubtedly an incestuous relationship
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| Welch's reign.AS APPLIED TO INFORMATION
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| | between hardware and software vendors.
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| TECHNOLOGYWhereas Parkinson was primarily
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| | Hardware enhancements are primarily
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| concerned with people, his law is equally
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| | implemented to increase capacity in order
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| applicable to machines, particularly
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| | to overcome software inefficiencies, and
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| computers; for example, Parkinson's Law
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| | software vendors make their products more
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| can be applied to computing in terms of
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| | bloated as hardware enhancements are
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| "Data expands to fill the space available
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| | introduced. To illustrate the point, is
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| for storage." Years ago I had a Compaq
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| | it a coincidence that every major release
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| Presario computer with 50mb of disk
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| | of Windows requires additional hardware
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| space, which I considered substantial at
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| | support? Hardly. This is done more by
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| the time. I never dreamt I would be able
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| | design than by
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| to fill up the hard drive. But, of
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| | accident.CONCLUSIONParkinson's Law is
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| course, I did (as well as other PC's I
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| | just as much a part of computer
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| have had over the years). My current PC
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| | technology as it is in the corporate
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| has a hard drive with a capacity of 224gb
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| | world. But what would happen if we
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| and though I'm a long way from filling it
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| | decided to "flatten" computer technology
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| up, inevitably I know I will for two
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| | in the same manner that Jack Welch
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| reasons: I now feel more comfortable
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| | flattened G.E.? Keep in mind, Welch did
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| with downloading large multimedia files
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| | so to eliminate bureaucracy and force his
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| (MP3, AVI, WMV, etc.), PDF files, data
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| | workers to become more efficient and
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| base files, and other larger file
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| | focus on the true problems at hand. By
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| formats, and; Second, because developers
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| | flattening the "bloatware" we would
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| have become sloppy in programming.Back
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| | probably get a lot more mileage out of
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| when memory and disk space were at a
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| | our computers. But I guess that wouldn't
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| premium, there was great concern over the
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| | be good for selling computers (or the
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| efficient use of computer resources.
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| | economy).I guess Parkinson's Law and the
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| Program code was written very tightly and
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| | viscous circle of computing will be with
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| consideration was given to file size.
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| | us for quite some time.Tim Bryce is the
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| For example, establishing a simple file
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| | Managing Director of M. Bryce &
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| index was scrutinized carefully. But as
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| | Associates (MBA) of Palm Harbor, Florida,
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| the computer capacity grew and hardware
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| | a management consulting firm specializing
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| prices declined, developers became less
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| | in Information Resource Management (IRM).
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| interested in efficient programming. To
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| | Mr. Bryce has over 30 years of
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| illustrate, not too long ago packaged
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| | experience in the field. He is available
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| software installation programs were
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| | for training and consulting on an
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| delivered on 3.5" diskettes. Today, it
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| | international basis. His corporate web
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| is not uncommon to use multiple CD's to
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| | page is at:
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| install the same products. This means
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| | can be contacted at: Copyright 2006
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| that as computer hardware capacity
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| | MBA. All rights reserved.
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| increases, software becomes more bloated.
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| |
|
