soft-eng@MITRE.ARPA (Alok Nigam) (10/08/88)
Soft-Eng Digest Fri, 7 Oct 88 V: Issue 34
Today's Topics:
Application generators
Cynic's Guide to SE #6: Forthcoming Revolt
Fortran Flowcharter Needed (3 msgs)
OPEN LOOK
Project Sizing and Estimating (2 msgs)
Public Domain Tool Repositories
Software Development Techniques Survey.
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Date: 6 Oct 88 16:55:51 GMT
From: sm.unisys.com!aero!abbott@oberon.usc.edu (Russell J. Abbott)
Subject: Application generators
I'm interested in experiences with and opinions about application
generators.
I define an application generator as a computer program that has the
following properties.
1. It encapsulates the semantics of a particular application domain
or computational paradigm.
2. It provides a way for "programmers" to tailor, i.e., program,
the encapsulated knowledge for the use of "end users." In other
words it defines both "programming" and "end user" roles.
I'd like to take a broad view of application generators and include, for
example, spreadsheet systems as application generators. Spreadsheet
systems encapsulate a limited version of the computational paradigm of
constrained arrays of values. They are used to generate applications
when "a programmer" encodes, for example, an organizational structure
(i.e., a set of constraints), which is used by "an end user" who enters
specific data values. (Of course the programmer and end user may be the
same individual, but they need not be.)
I realize that such a broad view allows one to consider general purpose
programming languages as application generators as well as perhaps any
interactive system. My real interest, though, is in application
generators that provide programming leverage in powerful and interesting
ways, and it is experiences with these sorts of systems that I'm
soliciting comments about
I believe that this topic merits open discussion, so I request that
comments be posted so that others can join in the discussion.
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Date: 3 Oct 88 17:54:00 GMT
From: cs.utexas.edu!pp!milano!banzai-inst!wex@ohio-state.arpa (Alan Wexelblat)
Subject: Cynic's Guide to SE #6: Forthcoming Revolt
> ... my alma mater (N.C.State) has more and more professors
> designing course assignments so that they may be done on personal
> computers...
The down side of this is professors making assignments _on the assumption_
that the student has her own Mac available. This is especially problematic
in areas such as mechanical drawing/drafting-type classes where the student
is not only expected to have the computer but is also expected to have
several $300-$500 pieces of software.
Sure, the department has _a_ Mac with the requisite software, but when there
are 20 or more people in the class (times however many classes make
assignments that require Macs) and the department's Mac isn't always up (or
available after 5PM - this is not the CS department we're talking about
here), the situation can get ugly.
Sometimes professors have gone so far as to require that assignments be
turned in on disk so that they can look at the assignments on their own Macs
(which the department bought them, natch). This screws all the students who
happen to have a different machine or even different software (if the
professor's version is 3.0 and you bought the latest and greatest 3.2 and
3.0 can't read your file formats, you're scrod).
Mind you, I'm not blaming this on Apple - I like the Mac, and I have one at
home (but guess why we were forced to buy it instead of waiting for the Mac
II to drop in price). But this problem seems to be prevalent at schools
which don't require students to buy computers as part of the entry fee, but
do participate in Apple's University Consortium.
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Date: 30 Sep 88 20:44:47 GMT
From: aero!abbott@jpl-elroy.arpa (Russell J. Abbott)
Subject: Fortran Flowcharter Needed
We need a program that can generate execution flow charts for
(massive) Fortran 77 programs. The flow chart generator must be
supported, i.e., not be an abandoned product or system. Thanks.
------------------------------
Date: 3 Oct 88 14:22:39 GMT
From: martin@umn-cs.arpa (Johnny Martin)
Subject: Fortran Flowcharter Needed
This is not exactly what you're asking for, but
"EasyFlow" by
Haven Tree Software Ltd.
PO Box 1093-G
Thousand Island Park, NY 13692
is a flowchart drawing tool which runs on an IBM PC (or compatible). The
program does not generate flow charts (automatically) from code. You must
create them using a mouse.
If you find a better solution, please let me know. I am interrested in
automatic drawing systems.
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Date: 3 Oct 88 19:01:30 GMT
From: voder!pyramid!prls!philabs!ttidca!hollombe@bloom-beacon.mit.edu (The Polymath)
Subject: Fortran Flowcharter Needed
Abacus Programming Corporation in Van Nuys, CA, has such a tool for
FORTRAN IV. I was last there nearly five years ago, so there's a chance
they've upgraded it to FORTRAN 77 since (there's also a chance they've
abandoned it). If not, they'll probably be happy to negotiate a contract
to do so.
When I was there they had a lot of first rate people and did excellent
work. Tell 'em I sent you. (-:
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Date: 4 Oct 88 12:49:30 GMT
From: utkcs2!palmer@gatech.edu (mark palmer)
Subject: OPEN LOOK
I have been reading the discussion on the newsgroups about user interface
standards brought on by OPEN LOOK (tm) and have become professionally curious.
I have inferred that it is a document of some sort and I would like to
obtain a copy.
How?
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Date: 5 Oct 88 16:59:39 GMT
From: ucsdhub!hp-sdd!ncr-sd!ncrlnk!emdeng!tmcclory@ucsd.edu (Thomas.J.Tom.McClory)
Subject: Project Sizing and Estimating
As a newly minted manager, I've suddenly developed an
interest in effort estimating and project sizing techniqes.
What I need are techiques that can be used to produce
"accurate" size and error estimates early in the software
life-cycle (usually with only a vague idea of what the
requirements are), and for predicting the risk of
estimate error (i.e. Mr. General Manager, there is a 50%
likelyhood the optimistic assumptions made in this estimate
will actually occur). "Accurate" means making delivery within 20%
either side of the estimated date.
Some of the methods I've read about, but not used are:
COCOMO Barry Boehm
SLIM Larry Putnam
SPQR-20 Capers Jones
I'm sure there are others. How well do any of these
techniques work? My shop primarily produces systems
software to be sold to (hopefully) many commercial customers.
Development cycles are always "aggressive". Quality is always a
concern. A model that shows the trade-offs between
schedule/effort/quality/complexity would really be nice.
Since I'm experimenting, I don't want to spend gobs of
money buying some black box model, unless I see rave reviews
from netland. The COCOMO model is public domain, has
anyone got a public domain implementation I could get a hold of?
Are there any other public domain models I can try? Any
good references on sizing and project estimating I should read?
There has to be a better way than finger to the wind
estimates followed by prayer!
------------------------------
Date: 6 Oct 88 01:08:12 GMT
From: spaf@purdue.edu (Gene Spafford)
Subject: Project Sizing and Estimating
Funny you should ask that (about size/cost estimates). It turns out
that many (most?) published methods don't fare too well when attempts
are made to validate them against real data, that is, programs not
written as student projects.
One recent exception is the COPSTAR/COPMO estimator developed by Sam
Conte & M. Rathi as part of a SERC project on metrics. It has been
validated against a few million lines of code of real projects from 6
different companies and in 3 or 4 different languages (including ADA).
You can get copies of the public tech reports by writing to
northern@cs.purdue.edu and asking for them. Employees of SERC
affiliate companies can get copies of all the literature, public or
not, plus a copy of the program that implements the metrics...as well
as info on the other 15 or so software engineering projects currently
underway in the Center.
(SERC is the Software Engineering Research Center, an
NSF-sponsored, University-Industry Cooperative Research
Center, jointly located at Purdue University and the
University of Florida.)
(If your company isn't an affiliate or you don't know if
it is an affiliate, write to me -- I don't want to make this
sound more like a commercial than it may already.)
------------------------------
Date: 3 Oct 88 12:06:00 EST
From: "UCLUS::MLPEELER" <mlpeeler%uclus.decnet@aegis-dahlgren>
Subject: Public Domain Tool Repositories
I am evaluating Public Domain tool repositories for selection of
candidate tools to be incorporated into a software engineering tool-
box. I will be reviewing software catalogs/databases from the follow-
ing sources: Simtel20; RADC Data & Analysis Center for Software (DACS);
National Technical Information Service (NTIS); GSA Federal Software
Exchange; and COSMIC (NASA/Univ. of GA).
I would like to know if anyone has used these sources to acquire tools,
how they would evaluate their experience with any of the tools in terms
of usefulness and quality, and has anyone found any "gems" out there.
Also, is anyone aware of some other sources and would like some opinions
on how much effort should be expended in looking for good tools in the
public domain as opposed to in-house development or commercial vendors.
------------------------------
Date: 29 Sep 88 08:41:43 GMT
From: mcvax!ukc!stc!axion!elric!jmitchen@uunet.uu.net (Jonathan Mitchener)
Subject: Software Development Techniques Survey.
This is a short survey concerned with various approaches to and methods used
in the development of software. I am trying to get an overall picture of the
ways people in the business of software development (in any organisation, in
various countries) go about the process. However the scope of my investigation
is limited to those methods and approaches CURRENTLY being used in projects
to develop products, and NOT in projects simply for research and
experimentation.
If anyone out there can spare a few minutes to answer the following questions
and mail or otherwise send their answers back to me at my address at the
bottom of this message, I would appreciate it. If I receive sufficient replies
to this survey, I will publish the results back to this newsgroup at a later
date. Any requests for anonymity, (q6), when publishing the results will be
honoured. (The preferred method of replying is via my private e-mail address :
jmitchener@axion.bt.co.uk as this will allow me to collate the answers more
easily, but any method of reply will be appreciated.)
--------------------------------------------
Software Design Methods Survey.
1. Do you follow the traditional life-cycle development model ?
YES/NO
2. Do you use a Software Development Environment (SDE) eg. IPSE ?
YES/NO
If so which system : ..........................
3. Do you use any of the following :
a) Traditional Structured Methodology. YES/NO
b) Rapid Prototyping. YES/NO
c) Object Oriented Design. YES/NO
d) Fourth Generation Languages. YES/NO
e) Formal Methods. YES/NO
4. Do you use any of these :
a) Jackson Structured Design YES/NO
b) SSADM / LDSM YES/NO
c) Yourdon YES/NO
d) COntrolled Requirements Expression (CORE) YES/NO
e) MASCOT YES/NO
5. Do you use any of the following Formal Methods ?
a) CCS YES/NO
b) OBJ YES/NO
c) VDM YES/NO
d) Z YES/NO
6. Do you object to your company's name being mentioned, if I publish
the results via this newsgroup at a later date ? YES/NO
That completes the questions. Thanks very much to all those who take
part in the survey.
Jonathan Mitchener.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Jonathan Mitchener.
email: jmitchener@axion.bt.co.uk
Telephone: +44 473 642598
Organisation: British Telecommunications Research Laboratories.
Royal mail: RT3123, BTRL Martlesham Heath, IPSWICH, Suffolk, IP5 7RE, UK.
On-site: Room G44, SSTF.
_______________________________________________________________________________
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End of Soft-Eng Digest
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