[comp.software-eng] Program Derivation Textbook Suggestions??

conrad@wucs1.wustl.edu (H. Conrad Cunningham) (10/16/90)

	During the spring semester of 1991 I will be teaching a course
dealing with (sequential, imperative) program specification,
derivation, and correctness verification.  My current textbook
candidates include: 

Gries' _The Science of Programming_  (Springer-Verlag, 1981)

Dijkstra & Feijen's _A Method of Programming_ (Addison-Wesley, 1988)

Dromey's _Program Derivation: The Development of Programs from
	  Specifications_ (Addison-Wesley, 1989)

Gumb's _Programming Logics_ (Wiley, 1989)

I request suggestions/comments from others on these or other
appropriate books--especially people who have had experience with such
a course (as the instructor or a student.)  The audience for my course
includes both seniors and graduate students.

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al@nmt.edu (Al Stavely) (10/16/90)

In article <1990Oct15.181603.6770@cec1.wustl.edu> conrad@wucs1.wustl.edu (H. Conrad Cunningham) writes:
>
>	During the spring semester of 1991 I will be teaching a course
>dealing with (sequential, imperative) program specification,
>derivation, and correctness verification.  My current textbook
>candidates include: 
>
>Gries' _The Science of Programming_  (Springer-Verlag, 1981)
>
>Dijkstra & Feijen's _A Method of Programming_ (Addison-Wesley, 1988)
>
>Dromey's _Program Derivation: The Development of Programs from
>	  Specifications_ (Addison-Wesley, 1989)
>
>Gumb's _Programming Logics_ (Wiley, 1989)
>
>I request suggestions/comments from others on these or other
>appropriate books--especially people who have had experience with such
>a course (as the instructor or a student.)  The audience for my course
>includes both seniors and graduate students.
>

I am in a similar situation, although I expect that my audience may include
second and third year CS and math students as well as more advanced students.
I have looked at all the books mentioned and am not entirely happy with any
of them.  I am expecting copies of two new books from publishers (sorry, I
don't have references).

Anyway, I too would appreciate any comments or suggestions from those with
experience or opinions, and I'll mail or post my opinions of the new books
if there is interest.

-- 

	- Allan Stavely, New Mexico Tech, USA

eaker@sunbelt.crd.ge.com (Charles E Eaker) (10/17/90)

In article <1990Oct16.155455.9429@nmt.edu> al@nmt.edu (Al Stavely) writes:
>
>Anyway, I too would appreciate any comments or suggestions from those with
>experience or opinions, and I'll mail or post my opinions of the new books
>if there is interest.
>
I haven't had time to look at them closely, but consider:
	Carroll Morgan, _Programming from Specifications_
		Prentice Hall International 1990
		ISBN 0-13-726225-6

	D. C. Ince, _An Introduction to Discrete Mathematics and Formal
	System Specification_
		Clarendon Press 1988
		ISBN 0-19-859667-7

--
Chuck Eaker / P.O. Box 8, K-1 3C12 / Schenectady, NY 12301 USA
eaker@sungod.crd.ge.com    eaker@crdgw1.UUCP    (518) 387-5964

crm@duke.cs.duke.edu (Charlie Martin) (10/18/90)

You might take a look at Carroll Morgan's _Programming from
Specifications_.
-- 
Charlie Martin (...!mcnc!duke!crm, crm@summanulla.mc.duke.edu)
O: NBSR/One University Place/Suite 250/Durham, NC  27707/919-490-1966
H: 13 Gorham Place/Durham, NC 27705/919-383-2256