Recently I ( a software architect ) was asked, by my current employer, to do some "thought work" on functional testing. Of software, that is. To my surprise, there is surprisingly little scientific literature on the subject., and much of it is outdated. Is it not being taken serious as a topic of research and investigation ? Or is it really not worth it ? I was thrown back all the way to a paper by Priestley ( paywall, alas ) and, before that, to the thoughts of famous mathematician Imre Lakatos on empirical science. And no, Wikipedia has nothing of value on the foundations of functionally testing software. So - are we dealing with a technique ? With one of the human sciences ? Or with baked air ?

All right. They are one of the ( supposedly ) leading media corporations in the world. No, I am not going to name them, but they are Japanese.

As a consultant, together with two colleagues, we identified one of the main painpoints in their information system: an excessive dependence upon Oracle. 50% or so of business logic in Oracle RDBMS. Oracle as central integration point.

They could save big money on going to a replacement. But fear ( from upper management ) and shame dominate management culture. My colleagues and I are running out of arguments to convince them. We are in the position of a doctor whose hand is struck away while trying to cure a bad wound. Who provides us with arguments ? What would you tell these scared, ashamed people ?