In the diagrams below, we consider the "death" of CASE, meaning large-scale integrated CASE, versus the recent flowering of small-scale case component tools such as PowerDesigner. Were the I-CASE tools just too ambitious?
If so, might the newer component tools (e.g., PowerDesigner) follow the same path of over-expansion into the same death trap? Or have conditions changed such that today's tools can deliver better on the promise of birth to death, round trip integration of discovery, design, and development? Is the "Best-CASE" really ne all-encompassing tool set or are we better off with the "best-of-breed" approach?
Since time is money, events below move up the Y scale as cost accrue through product purchase, environment preparation, installation, training, and non-productive time learning new tools. "Useless" and "Useful" are whimsical, arbitrary terms to indicate the objectvies and desired movement - toward something truely useful at a modest cost.
Numerous horror stories of IEF, Seer HPS, ADW, Bachman, and others tell the multi-million dollar tales of the dotted red line which died before it became useful. If this was the fault of excessive reach, rather than imature technology or incompetent vendors, then perhaps we would be wise not to ask for too much in PowerDesigner! Already some people feel the value equasion is stretching thin with Powersoft's new pricing policies.
