> That $5B appears to be the cost of the entire project, including production.
I agree. Not that any of this really matters but I hate when inaccurate figures are just repeated and taken as fact which is why I raised the point in my original question. Actually just because the number seemed to high to be true.
We've had two other cases of this that I can remember recently. One was the ADA and flossing. [1]
The other was the "8 glasses a day of water" which is something that has been repeated as gospel. [2]
As a general rule people will always throw in the kitchen sink when stating numbers and make them seem as large as possible. [3] Additionally anyone who was ever interviewed for a news story will know that whatever you repeat to a reporter is rarely questioned. It's taken as a fact and if it ends up in a major newspaper (say NYT or WSJ) it is taken as vetted and authentic. (I have been quoted so that is why I say this..)
In fairness, the figure is mostly accurate. Development cost $1 billion, the entire project including production cost $5 billion. It was a bet-the-company move.
I agree that it's an accurate number. I meant to highlight that "development" can mean "to develop a working system" (R&D) as well as "to develop a commercial product" (R&D plus production, support, sales, marketing, ...).
I agree. Not that any of this really matters but I hate when inaccurate figures are just repeated and taken as fact which is why I raised the point in my original question. Actually just because the number seemed to high to be true.
We've had two other cases of this that I can remember recently. One was the ADA and flossing. [1]
The other was the "8 glasses a day of water" which is something that has been repeated as gospel. [2]
As a general rule people will always throw in the kitchen sink when stating numbers and make them seem as large as possible. [3] Additionally anyone who was ever interviewed for a news story will know that whatever you repeat to a reporter is rarely questioned. It's taken as a fact and if it ends up in a major newspaper (say NYT or WSJ) it is taken as vetted and authentic. (I have been quoted so that is why I say this..)
[1] And now I am seeing this: http://www.ada.org/en/press-room/news-releases/2016-archive/...
[2] http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/25/upshot/no-you-do-not-have-...
[3] Unless of course it serves them to make them as small as possible.