[comp.software-eng] Timing Diagrams

eberard@ajpo.sei.cmu.edu (Edward Berard) (10/11/89)

A number of people, including Ray Buhr and Grady Booch, advocate the
use of "timing diagrams" in the engineering of software. The timing
diagrams they show typically have various operations (functions) along
the y-axis, and monotonically increasing time along the x-axis. I have
been told that such timing diagrams are quite common in various types
of engineering.

I have two questions:

	1. Are there any _general_ references for "timing" diagrams? 

	2. All the timing diagrams I have seen are for sequential
	   processes. Are there any special considerations, or changes
	   in form, for concurrent processes?

If I get any responses, I will post a summary to the net.

				-- Ed Berard
				   Phone: (301) 353-9652
				   FAX:   (301) 353-9272

PAAAAAR@CALSTATE.BITNET (10/13/89)

Charles Babbage reccomended the use of a timing diagram for complex
mechanical systems. In his case time was on the vertical/y axies(sp?)
and each concurrent part had a vertical line. Movements were plotted
horizontally about these vertical lines.  He also had a way of
showing constraints between the parts at the top of the diagram.

He published a paper which apears in his biography, but as far as
I know it had no further effect...

I had assumed that modern timing diagrams were abstractions modelled
on traces plotted by ECG/polygraphs and Osciliscopes...but am probably
wrong...
(not for the first time EITHER!)
dick botting
confused in San Bernardino