MDAY@XX.LCS.MIT.EDU (Moderator, Mark S. Day) (12/02/87)
Soft-Eng Digest Tue, 1 Dec 87 Volume 3 : Issue 17
Today's Topics:
Software Reusability
Looking for CASE references (2 msgs)
Teaching CASE
Software Technology, Ergonomics, and EMACS
Looking for Similar Systems
Pascal to C Translation
Program Design Language for C Needed
Call for Papers, COMPASS '88
Call for Papers: Formal Techniques, Real-Time/Fault-Tolerant Systems
IEEE Conference on Software Maintenance -- 1988
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 87 12:26 EST
From: REILLY@wharton.upenn.edu
Subject: Software Reusability
A study is about to begin here to understand what factors
stop people from using someone else's software. References
to previous studies and comments are most welcome.
------------------------------
Date: 7 Nov 87 21:25:35 GMT
From: zodiac!krubin@cad.Berkeley.EDU (Kenny Rubin)
Subject: Looking for CASE references
I have a friend who is looking for references on the subject of
CASE (Computer Aided Software Engineering). He is planing to do his
undergraduate thesis on some aspect of CASE. If anyone knows of good
books or papers on the subject, ranging from theory to implementation,
please let me know..
Thanx in advance..
-- Kenny
Kenneth S. Rubin (415) 941-3912
Advanced Decision Systems
201 San Antonio Circle, Suite 286
Mountain View, California 94040-1289
ARPANET: krubin%zodiac@ads.arpa krubin@ADS.ARPA
UUCP: !{akgua,allegra,amd,hplabs,ihnp4,seismo,ut-ngp}!gatech!gitpyr!krubin
------------------------------
Date: 10 Nov 87 12:42:25 GMT
From: kodak!gardner@cs.rochester.edu (dick gardner)
Subject: Looking for CASE references
Here are a few titles that serve as our CASE Bibles here:
Structured Development for Real Time Systems
Volume 1: Introduction & Tools
by Paul Ward & Stephen Mellor
Structured Development for Real Time Systems
Volume 2: Essential Modeling Techniques
by Paul Ward & Stephen Mellor
Structured Development for Real Time Systems
Volume 2: Implementation Modeling Techniques
by Paul Ward & Stephen Mellor
The Practical Guide to Structured Systems Design
by Meiler Page-Jones
Foreword by Ed Yourdon
In addition, I would suggest looking for other books by these authors, since
the are the acknowledged leaders in this field.
Cadre Technologies makes a computer tool called Teamwork that makes use
of these techniques on many platforms such as: Sun, VAX, PC, etc.
Hope this information is helpful.
Dick Gardner -- Eastman Kodak Co. Rochester, New York 14650
Phone: (716) 477-1002
UUCP: {allegra,rutgers}!rochester!kodak!gardner
"Oh yeah?!? Well, MY computer is SOOOOO FAST, it executes an infinite
loop in 6 seconds!!!"
------------------------------
Date: 25 Nov 87 16:34:26 GMT
From: uh2@psuvm.bitnet (Lee Sailer)
Subject: Teaching CASE
Does anyone have ideas about *teaching* CASE in a small college environment.
Here at Penn State Erie we have about 40 students in a two semester
Analysis, Design, and Implementation course (Info Systems in a B school).
Currently we use Excelerator on personal computers, and make do with
3 workstations.
lee
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 09 Nov 87 18:14:38 -0500
From: dan@WILMA.BBN.COM
Subject: Software Technology, Ergonomics, and EMACS
I agree completely that programmers can learn from the ergonomics
world, and even more from the broader field of human factors. But I
wouldn't cite EMACS as an example of a program whose design was
influenced by any kind of ergonomic or human factors analysis, as one
contributor did. EMACS is inherently hard to learn, and difficult to
use effectively once you do learn it unless you use it all the time.
Its key bindings violate some basic rules about good user interface
design. To name two: first, its many commands are not organized in a
way that makes them easy to remember, so you need to use apropos,
help, etc. to find them. Second, some commands which do drastic
things to your buffer are only one or two keystrokes long and easily
"found" accidentally; an unpleasant experience even with undo. The
only rule about good user interfaces that EMACS follows is that common
operations take a relatively small number of keystrokes.
If you use EMACS all the time, as I do, it's very nice, but it is not
an example of great human engineering. Rather, it's a good example of
how much contempt most programmers, even (especially?) very good ones,
have for user interface issues. It takes only a few hours, and no
fancy computer programs, to analyze a program's user interface to
figure out how well it will work and how to improve it; that time is
hardly ever spent. This problem will not be solved by AI, expert
systems, or any other new tool; it is the attitude that must change.
Dan Franklin
------------------------------
Date: 19 Nov 87 16:56:00 GMT+109:13
From: <santino@esdvax.arpa>
Subject: Looking for Similar Systems
1. We're interested in knowing of examples of "real world" systems
developed using commercially available expert system tools/shells,
particularly those which have applicability to our present "CGADS"
development, and any other information useful prior to our selecting a
tool. Some preliminary background on our "CGADS" project is provided:
2. The Computer Generated Acquisition Document System (CGADS) is the USAF
Electronic Systems Division (ESD) first-generation expert system which
assists DOD program managers and engineers in creation of acquisition
documents such as "Statements of Work" which become part of Government
"Request For Proposals" (RFP's) for major DOD systems projects.
CGADS, presently running on a VAX 8600, is used operationally by the USAF
Electronic Systems Division, as well by a large number of other DOD
acquisition agencies nationwide. CGADS is also used at the Air Force
Institute of Technology to teach systems acquisition management.
CGADS, used equally by experienced and inexperienced engineers,
presents a series of yes/no questions, in areas such as software
engineering, logistics, safety, manufacturing. Based on the engineer's
choices, CGADS generates the proper "boiler-plate" text and MIL-STD
references to form a draft Statement of Work.
Since the system text and rules are updated periodically by experts
who represent several dozen technical disciplines, the resulting
document meets most requirements, and needs only minimum review. The
system also allows newly assigned engineers, having only minimum
training, to create draft acquisition documents.
Since CGADS was first developed in 1981 exclusively in Fortran 77, and
without using a database, it has become unnecessarily expensive to
keep the text updated. Also, its structure lacks the flexibility for
planned capabilities, such as producing the greatly varying system
specifications for major DOD acquisition programs.
3. We plan to use an ORACLE database to improve the text storage, and to
select a commercial expert system tool/shell to minimize development
of an inference engine, and maintenance utility. Some examples of
AI tools we may evaluate:
Knowledge Engineering Environment (KEE), Intellicorp, Menlo Park, CA
Knowledge Engineering System (KES), Software A&E, Arlington, VA
The Intelligent Machine Model (TIMM), Gen Research, Santa Barbara, CA
OPS5, Carnegie Mellon Univ, Pittsburgh, PA
Expert, Rutgers Univ, New Brunswick, NJ
S1 or M1, Teknowledge, Inc., Palo Alto, CA
Automated Reasoning Tool (ART), Inference Corp, Los Angeles, CA
4. We'd be interested in knowing the type of application, the amount of
programming that was required to "tailor" the commercial shell/tool
for the application, and the amount of maintenance required.
In addition to providing information on actual systems developed
using commercial tools, we'd appreciate hearing any lessons learned,
or recommendations both positive and negative that anyone is willing
to share, even "horror stories" about developments that never made it,
or products to avoid (if any).
5. Please answer on SOFT-ENG, or directly to SANTINO@ESDVAX.ARPA,
or call Autovon 478-5316, or Commercial 617-377-5316.
Thanks,
Fred Santino
Project Engineer
USAF Electronic Systems Division (ESD/SCP)
Hanscom AFB, MA 01731
------------------------------
Date: 28 Nov 87 17:43:06 GMT
From: tektronix!tekgen!puffin!dlu@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU (Doug Urner)
Subject: Pascal to C Translation
I am faced with the project of translating a large process control
application from Pascal to C. As yet I don't have much more in the
way of details of the application. I'd like to know if anyone has
stories to tell and advice to offer. I'd also like to hear about
any experience you might have with any of the automated translators
that are floating around and/or offered for sale.
Many thanks in advance, if you reply to me I'd be happy to summarize
to the net if there is interest.
Doug Urner
------------------------------
Date: 24 Nov 87 21:42:47 GMT
From: hao!gatech!gtf@ames.arpa (Tom Fulton)
Subject: Program Design Language for C Needed
Needed:
A program design language (PDL) for C.
We are currently working on an Air Force contract and are to the program
design language stage. The language we have chosen is C. What I need
is a PDL which easily translates to C. (Not necessarily automatically,
just one which mimics the C structure.) Please respond directly as I
do not ordinarily read these groups.
Thanks,
--
Tom Fulton
Georgia Tech Research Institute, SEL/DSD, Atlanta GA 30332
Internet: gtf@gatech.gatech.edu
uucp: ...!{decvax,hplabs,ihnp4,linus,rutgers,seismo}!gatech!gtf
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 87 09:28:48 est
From: houston@nrl-csr.arpa (Frank Houston)
Subject: Call for Papers, COMPASS '88
*******************************************************************************
CALL FOR PAPERS
COMPASS '88
(Third Annual Computer Assurance Conference)
* A man with cancer is killed because a computer tells a radiation
therapy machine to administer a lethal dose.
* A rocket on the way to Mars has to be destroyed because a crucial
line is left out of the computer software controlling it.
* A bank is forced to borrow $23.6 billion overnight because of a
computer, and the government-securities market narrowly escapes
disaster.
* Workers are killed by computer controlled industrial robots.
All of these disasters have happened, and their numbers are increasing year
by year. COMPASS is an organization dedicated to finding ways of
combatting this problem, and increasing Computer Assurance. The name
"COMPASS" combines abbreviations of "COMPuter" and "ASSurance".
What do we mean by computer assurance?
One might define the term analytically by including process security,
systems safety, software safety, reliability, quality control, testing,
verification and validation, mathematics, physics, and various engineering
disciplines. It is not, however, a simple combination of these. On the
one hand, a system may be totally unreliable yet perfectly safe; on the
other hand, a safe system may sometimes not be an appropriate goal.
Furthermore, there are deep, unresolved philosophical questions about both
immediate design goals of autonomous systems and more universal meta-goals
apropos of dealing with the unexpected. What should these goals be and how
do the design goals and the meta-goals interact?
Help us explore computer assurance, define its boundaries, identify its
issues, and realize its objectives. Submit an article or abstract for the
1988 conference.
Abstracts of any length will be considered; complete papers are preferred.
All submissions should be typed double spaced and single sided (draft
form). Upon acceptance, IEEE kits for preparing camera ready copy will be
sent.
***************************************************************************
*
Dates: 27 June -- 1 July '88 * Mail manuscripts, abstracts and
* requests for information to:
Location: Washington, D.C. *
--------------- *
General Chair: CDR Micheal Gehl, ONR * COMPASS '88
* P.O. Box 5314
Program Chair: Janet Dunham, RTI * Rockville, MD 20851
--------------- *
Submissions due: 30 Jan 1988 * ( ) Submission ( ) Information
*
***************************************************************************
Submit abstracts electronically to Janet Dunham (jrd@rti.rti.org).
For more information contact Frank Houston (houston@nrl-csr.arpa).
Be sure to include your mailing address.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 18 Nov 87 10:28:27 GMT
From: Mathai Joseph <mathai%snow.warwick.ac.uk@NSS.Cs.Ucl.AC.UK>
Subject: Call for Papers: Formal Techniques, Real-Time/Fault-Tolerant Systems
CALL FOR PAPERS
Symposium
on
Formal Techniques in Real-time and Fault-tolerant Systems
22-23 September 1988
University of Warwick, U.K.
This meeting is to bring together people working on formal techniques
for the specification and verification of the properties of real-time
and fault-tolerant systems. The Symposium will have some invited talks
but will consist largely of technical sessions with contributed papers.
**Papers (upto 20 pages) and extended abstracts are invited for the
**Symposium: FOUR COPIES should be sent to the Programme Committee
**Chairman before 15 JANUARY 1988. Papers will be refereed and authors
**informed of the selection by mid-April. Camera-ready copies of selected
**papers will be expected by 15 May 1988 for inclusion in the Proceedings.
The Symposium will be held at the University of Warwick, Coventry, which
is within easy reach of historic places in and around Coventry: Warwick,
with its well-known medieval castle, Kenilworth, and Stratford-on-Avon.
Programme Committee
M. Joseph (Warwick), Chairman; G.R. Martin (Warwick); A. Mok (Texas);
R. Reed (GEC Telecomm.); F.B. Schneider (Cornell); S. Shrivastava (Newcastle);
W.-P. de Roever (Eindhoven).
Address for correspondence: Professor M. Joseph, Department of Computer Science,
University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, U.K.
phone: +44 203 523193 telex: 31406 COVLIB G
email uucp ...!ukc!warwick!conf
bitnet conf%uk.ac.warwick@UKACRL.BITNET
janet conf@uk.ac.warwick
darpa mjoseph%warwick.ac.uk@NSS.CS.UCL.AC.UK
------------------------------
Date: 1 December 1987, 17:03:38 EST
From: Thomas Corbi <GROKLIB@ibm.com>
Subject: IEEE Conference on Software Maintenance -- 1988
*** CALL FOR PAPERS *** CALL FOR PAPERS *** CALL FOR PAPERS ***
The CONFERENCE ON SOFTWARE MAINTENANCE-1988
October 24-27, 1988
Phoenix, Arizona
The Conference on Software Maintenance--1988 (CSM-88) will gather
managers, developers, maintainers, and researchers, to discuss new
solutions to the continuing challenge of software maintenance and
software maintainability.
Making a Difference: Improving the Product By Improving the Process
-------------------- --------- --- ------- -- --------- --- -------
CSM-88 will focus on the processes that impact software maintenance.
CSM-88 seeks papers which clearly indicate advances in the field of
software maintenance; the time frame for achieving those advances;
and any evidence suggesting that advances can in fact be realized.
Papers which indicate paths that should not be followed, along with
evidence supporting these conclusions, are also solicited.
SPONSORS:
- Computer Society of IEEE--
Technical Committee on Software Engineering*
- The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc.
- Data Processing Management Association (DPMA)
- National Bureau of Standards (NBS)*
IN COOPERATION WITH:
- ACM/SIGSOFT-- Special Interest Group on Software Engineers*
- Association for Women in Computing (AWC)*
- Software Maintenance Association (SMA)*
__________
* Previous sponsors. CSM-88 sponsorship requested.
SCOPE and PURPOSE
=================
Software Maintenance is the enhancement, restructuring and
correction of software in production use. CSM-88 will provide
a forum for discussing software maintenance, distilling current
experiences, and highlighting promising approaches, through
presentations of refereed papers, panel sessions, tutorials, informal
meetings, and tool demonstrations. CSM-88 will acquaint managers
and practitioners with current advances and researchers with current
needs. The conference is open to all who are involved with or have
an interest in software maintenance: professionals and researchers,
from industry, government, and academia.
IMPORTANT DATES
===============
Submission Deadline: February 1, 1988
Acceptance Notification: April 11, 1988
Final Version: May 30, 1988
SUBMISSION INFORMATION
======================
Papers: (5 copies, double spaced) Papers should be 1000-5000 words
in length. Papers must not have been published or submitted
elsewhere for publication. The cover letter must include: title
and maximum 250 word abstract only. The first page must include
title, all authors' names, complete mailing addresses, and
telephone numbers. If the paper is accepted, one of the authors
is expected to present the paper at CSM-88.
Panel Session Proposals: (5 copies) Panel session proposals must
include: name of the panel session organizer, mailing address, and
telephone number, panel topics, significance for CSM-88, and a list
of 4-5 panelists. Panelists must have agreed to participate prior
to submission of the panel session proposal.
SUBMIT PAPERS AND PANEL SESSION PROPOSALS TO WILMA M. OSBORNE AT
HER ADDRESS BELOW.
Vendor Proposals: Send for information from Robert Arnold at his
address below.
Tutorial Lecturers: Send for information from Wilma Osborne at her
address below.
CONFERENCE COMMITTEE
====================
IMMEDIATE PAST
GENERAL CHAIR PROGRAM CHAIR GENERAL CHAIR
------------- ------------- --------------
Robert Arnold Wilma M. Osborne Roger J. Martin
Software Productivity National Bureau of National Bureau of
Consortium (SPC) Standards Standards
1880 Campus Commons Bldg. 225, Rm. B266 Bldg. 225, Rm. B266
Drive, North Gaithersburg, MD 20899 Gaithersburg, MD
Reston, VA 22091 20899 20899
(703)-391-1898 (301)-975-3339 (301)-975-3295
SUGGESTED TOPICS
================
Paper and panel session proposals related to, but not limited to, the
following topics are invited:
- Software Maintenance Environments - Empirical Maintenance Studies
- Software Maintenance Metrics - Maintenance of Ada(tm) Programs
- Artificial Intelligence in - Software Reusability in
Software Maintenance Maintenance
- Configuration Management - Developing Maintainable Systems
- Standards in Software Maintenance - Maintenance of Fourth
- Software Maintenance Education Generation Programs
- Acquisition of Software - Software Testing
Maintenance Services - Impact of PDLs on Software
- Restructuring/Reengineering Maintainability
_________
(tm) Trademark of the U.S. Department of Defense
------------------------------
End of Soft-Eng Digest
******************************
-------