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Proportion of Software Costs Spent on Evolution

publish date: 2026/06/22 22:19:48.010139 UTC

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According to historical industry data, approximately what proportion of total software costs are evolution costs rather than initial development costs?

Exactly 50%

Between 60% and 90%

Between 10% and 30%

Less than 5%

Correct Answer

Between 60% and 90%

Explanation

Historical data suggests that somewhere between 60% and 90% of total software costs are evolution costs rather than initial development costs. This is why most large companies spend more on maintaining existing systems than on developing new ones.

Reference

Software Engineering, Ian Sommerville, 10th edition

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