On: CUNY paid Oracle $600M for its HR software (2013)

[CSMastermind]

I'm generally a Hanlon’s razor advocate. Never attribute to malice what can be sufficiently explained by incompetence.

With that said this example strains even my ability to justify the incompetence angle.

[lenerdenator → CSMastermind]

Hanlon's razor is significantly dulled by the presence of Larry Ellison.

[gregw2 → CSMastermind]

Perhaps I can help... when Hanlon's Razor doesn't explain the malice/stupidity in play, you can always try the extending it with the following:

Hubbard's corollary to Hanlon's Razor: "Never attribute to malice or stupidity that which can be explained by moderately rational individuals following incentives in a complex system". (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanlon's_razor#Other_variati...

Or HN Nerdponx's simplification: "When money is at stake, never attribute to incompetence what could be attributed to greed." (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41066724)

[pphysch → CSMastermind]

Probably a kernel of malice (corruption, kickbacks) surrounded by a warm flesh of incompetence.

[AnimalMuppet → CSMastermind]

Grey's Law: "Any sufficiently advanced incompetence is indistinguishable from malice."