Applied Software Measurement, 3rd Edition

Chapter

1

Introduction

The third edition of Applied Software Measurement confirms the conclusions of the first and second editions, that measurement is a key technology for successful software development and maintenance. Indeed, measurements have been a pivotal component in the progress of the software industry in the years between the publication of the first and second editions. In particular, the usage of function point metrics has exploded across the software world.

In 1990, function points were just beginning to expand in usage. By 1996, function point metrics had become the dominant metric in the United States and about 20 other countries. ...