Don't mind Stiglr's tone - he's just a gruff old man.
*nudges Stiggie*
His point is valid though - as a programmer myself I can tell you that. The number of times I've been asked to estimate how long something takes by my boss and have simply given him a number to shut him up so I could get cracking is huge. But also, it is possible to make a qualified guess at how long it will take. If you then multiply that guess by two and give that number, your boss' first response will likely be a twinge of pain. Then he will try to get you to lower the estimate. Don't let him. Odds are you'll find yourself pulling three all-nighters in a row followed by a working weekend because he promised a customer it would 'definately be done by monday', even when you said "I'd need a month or so."
The same goes for game or software development for end users. Give them an estimate of 'some time next year' to chew on, then surprise them with coming through in two months. That way, they'll settle down for the wait at first, and then when you come ythrough ahead of time, you'll be lauded as a hero.
