Channel Register

Comments on: EDS beagles blast 'absurd' BSkyB

Outcome 

Posted Tuesday 23rd October 2007 10:34 GMT

Straight into that special class of lawsuits - where you hope both sides lose.

Oh the dilema! 

Posted Tuesday 23rd October 2007 10:38 GMT

Murdoch vs. EDS, what a choice. Is there a way to engineer this so that they both lose?

Another demonstration of EDS incompetence 

Posted Tuesday 23rd October 2007 11:07 GMT

EDS should suck it down and pay the fiddler.

If their original quote was £48m but they left the door open by not having a clear specification, then tough shit on them.

I'm an independent consultant. If I quote someone £2000 to get a job done and it takes me longer, then I either negotiate with them or I finish the job for the original price. It depends on the quality of the original agreement/specification.

I *very* rarely overrun my timescales and costs and certainly never by the obscene amounts regularly claimed by these large consultancies like EDS.

Still, it's always handy to have lawyers to justify your failings.

It seems that when it comes to large contracts, the only criteria for being given the contract (or shortlisted) is whether you've ever done anything like it before. Quadrupling the original budget and failing to produce systems that are fit for purpose (repeatedly) seems to be irrelevant.

Good luck to BSkyB (for a change).

Well they expected what? 

Posted Tuesday 23rd October 2007 11:21 GMT

IT Angle

EDS have always ballsed up contracts, see Governments IT Projects for reference it's about time someone had a go at them.

Probably the best thing Sky has done 

Posted Tuesday 23rd October 2007 11:39 GMT

Mars

Sue EDS

Though one can only believe they must have done as much research on the company as they do for the News

Not a Government contract?! 

Posted Tuesday 23rd October 2007 11:47 GMT

I reckon EDS thought they were working for the NHS!

Such delays and cost over-runs are the norm in the public sector.

William

"Murdoch and the wizard's sleeve" 

Posted Tuesday 23rd October 2007 12:18 GMT

Am i the only one who thought it would be a story featuring Jordan somehow?

Hmm... 

Posted Tuesday 23rd October 2007 12:40 GMT

Murdoch Vs EDS, unique in court cases, because I hope both sides loose.

Everyone loses - except the Lawyers 

Posted Tuesday 23rd October 2007 13:10 GMT

Stop

Don't worry, the only winners will be the Lawyers. Normally, this is poor show but with these two companies it seems like justice.

BSkyB should have paid EDS a fixed amount of money to produce a detailed spec and then rigorously reviewed this spec. Then, EDS should have quoted on this spec. to build the "Super Duper" system. As always, because of urgency and macho management, no one bothers with detailed specs any more - even for fixed price contracts.

Perhaps BSkyB will act as referee when EDS bid as one of the preferred suppliers for the Identity and Passport Service contact ?

Two Evil Corps Battle It Out... 

Posted Tuesday 23rd October 2007 13:12 GMT

Thumb Up

Let's get ready to rummbbbllleeee!!!

Hopefully the case will drag on, cost millions with EDS losing but BSlyB having to pay court costs.

That'd be what I call justice!

As bad as each other? 

Posted Tuesday 23rd October 2007 13:15 GMT

Stop

Yes I know EDS (and other outsourcers... such as Cap Gemini.. whom I used to work for) are quite happy to keep ramping up the price for contarcts they have under bid in an effort to make money... however if the case is true that BSkyB kept changing specs or asking for as Barnes says "new requirements kept on emerging like handkerchiefs from a magician's sleeve" and that then never had a complete idea of what they wanted (Which I have been at the recieving end of many a time, either from customers or my own manager) then they are both at fault and should shake hands and split the difference

I hope they both lose to be honest!!

BSkyB's Supplier Service Line 

Posted Tuesday 23rd October 2007 14:13 GMT

Pirate

I wonder if it all went wrong because BSkyB's supplier service IVR is as bad as their customer service system

Underpricing again 

Posted Tuesday 23rd October 2007 14:56 GMT

I was on a multi-million EDS contract that was clearly bound to fail. The salesmen had sold the impossible and then went off for a month in the Carribean. A disaster followed. It's about time this was stopped. Hopefully this will teach everyone a lesson.

EDS lose either way now 

Posted Tuesday 23rd October 2007 15:13 GMT

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Regardless which way the verdict goes we can look forward to several smear articles in all of the Murdoch controlled press, most likely lifted straight from the pages of the various Private Eye exposés of EDS's incompetence on various public sector contracts. With Murdoch now in control of at least 1 major news source in most countries we can look forward to some significant reputation damage for EDS.

Entirely well deserved for a company that has been fleecing the UK taxpayer for at least the last 10 years.

Typical 

Posted Tuesday 23rd October 2007 15:33 GMT

Unhappy

Just another example of the problems with outsourcing.

The majority of outsourcing contracts never meet their budget goals and often perform lower than in house and/or outright failure to deliver.

As the man said you get what you pay for.

The big fat bonus that the executives and board give themselves for all that "labor savings" might make up for it from their point of view though.

What the dickens? 

Posted Tuesday 23rd October 2007 16:40 GMT

Happy

I for one hope that this court case turns into Jarndyce vs Jarndyce...

Re: dilemma 

Posted Tuesday 23rd October 2007 18:20 GMT

Happy

"Murdoch vs. EDS, what a choice. "

That's not a dilemma, that's a win-win situation!

"Is there a way to engineer this so that they both lose?"

Whichever loses, /we/ *all* win! Happy happy joy joy joy!

Another McLibel? 

Posted Tuesday 23rd October 2007 21:04 GMT

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"absurd and extravagant"

A bit like EDS's fees, then.

I do hope the case drags on, with maximum exposure of chicanery and double-dealing on both sides. At least it will tie up their legal departments for a bit.

What can I say? 

Posted Tuesday 23rd October 2007 21:05 GMT

Flame

As an ex (very gratefully ex!) EDS employee, I can't say I'm even remotely surprised at EDS' total incompetence.

They are hands down the worst employer I've ever had the misfortune of working for.

May they rot in the fiery pits of hell!

Have a nice day ;)

Please to be doing the needfull 

Posted Tuesday 23rd October 2007 23:43 GMT

Heart

LOL all that cheap labour over many 60 hour days seems to translate to real money, about time the corps woke up and realised that cheap, quality and detail are in a companies values but are just that values that pay well.. nuts..

LOL @ EDS/CSC etc....