[comp.software-eng] prototyping

eugene@eos.UUCP (Eugene Miya) (10/05/89)

YES knowing when to throw prototypes away is important.  
That is a problem we have.  We don't prototype in this environment: it's
seen as expensive, a waste of resources, an unnecessary duplication,
an so forth.  Programming languages tend to be too low-level.  The problem
is to package and building things at a higher level.  Standard libraries
aren't enough.  The concept of complete "environments" hasn't been enough.
OOP isn't enough.  No silver bullets.

There is a poorly definited concept of software evolution.
The problem is the definition of biological evolution is coming under fire:
criticisms of gradualism, etc.  We have trouble distinguishing
development from evolution.  Perhaps we must begin to consider the
conditions under which we must throw things away.  We don't throw
Euclid's algorithm out the window.  Can we throw a payroll program out?
We do if it does run on the new updated piece of hardware we might buy.

Another gross generalization from

--eugene miya, NASA Ames Research Center, eugene@aurora.arc.nasa.gov
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hallett@pet3.uucp (Jeff Hallett x5163 ) (10/05/89)

In article <5333@eos.UUCP> eugene@eos.UUCP (Eugene Miya) writes:
>an so forth.  Programming languages tend to be too low-level.  The problem
>is to package and building things at a higher level.  Standard libraries
>aren't enough.  The concept of complete "environments" hasn't been enough.
>OOP isn't enough.  No silver bullets.

There is  a product on  the Macintosh called Prototyper from  Smethers
Barnes.  It  basically  allows   a person to  model a   user interface
complete with menus, buttons windows,  typed text, gads  of stuff.  It
is extremely   powerful and if   the  person wishes to go    to enough
trouble, the prototype is often indistinguishable  from the real McCoy
(Dammit, Jim I'm a doctor, not a prototype).  It will produce code for
many Macintosh compilers.

Even if you don't develop on Macs, it is still useful for modeling ANY
graphically-interfaced   system.  Best  of    all,  it is  about  $125
(discount).  If you already have a Mac, it is a great tool.


--
	     Jeffrey A. Hallett, PET Software Engineering
      GE Medical Systems, W641, PO Box 414, Milwaukee, WI  53201
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