The Problem with Software

The Problem with Software PDF Author: Adam Barr
Publisher: MIT Press
ISBN: 026203851X
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 317

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Book Description
An industry insider explains why there is so much bad software—and why academia doesn't teach programmers what industry wants them to know. Why is software so prone to bugs? So vulnerable to viruses? Why are software products so often delayed, or even canceled? Is software development really hard, or are software developers just not that good at it? In The Problem with Software, Adam Barr examines the proliferation of bad software, explains what causes it, and offers some suggestions on how to improve the situation. For one thing, Barr points out, academia doesn't teach programmers what they actually need to know to do their jobs: how to work in a team to create code that works reliably and can be maintained by somebody other than the original authors. As the size and complexity of commercial software have grown, the gap between academic computer science and industry has widened. It's an open secret that there is little engineering in software engineering, which continues to rely not on codified scientific knowledge but on intuition and experience. Barr, who worked as a programmer for more than twenty years, describes how the industry has evolved, from the era of mainframes and Fortran to today's embrace of the cloud. He explains bugs and why software has so many of them, and why today's interconnected computers offer fertile ground for viruses and worms. The difference between good and bad software can be a single line of code, and Barr includes code to illustrate the consequences of seemingly inconsequential choices by programmers. Looking to the future, Barr writes that the best prospect for improving software engineering is the move to the cloud. When software is a service and not a product, companies will have more incentive to make it good rather than “good enough to ship."

The Problem with Software

The Problem with Software PDF Author: Adam Barr
Publisher: MIT Press
ISBN: 026203851X
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 317

Get Book

Book Description
An industry insider explains why there is so much bad software—and why academia doesn't teach programmers what industry wants them to know. Why is software so prone to bugs? So vulnerable to viruses? Why are software products so often delayed, or even canceled? Is software development really hard, or are software developers just not that good at it? In The Problem with Software, Adam Barr examines the proliferation of bad software, explains what causes it, and offers some suggestions on how to improve the situation. For one thing, Barr points out, academia doesn't teach programmers what they actually need to know to do their jobs: how to work in a team to create code that works reliably and can be maintained by somebody other than the original authors. As the size and complexity of commercial software have grown, the gap between academic computer science and industry has widened. It's an open secret that there is little engineering in software engineering, which continues to rely not on codified scientific knowledge but on intuition and experience. Barr, who worked as a programmer for more than twenty years, describes how the industry has evolved, from the era of mainframes and Fortran to today's embrace of the cloud. He explains bugs and why software has so many of them, and why today's interconnected computers offer fertile ground for viruses and worms. The difference between good and bad software can be a single line of code, and Barr includes code to illustrate the consequences of seemingly inconsequential choices by programmers. Looking to the future, Barr writes that the best prospect for improving software engineering is the move to the cloud. When software is a service and not a product, companies will have more incentive to make it good rather than “good enough to ship."

A Philosophy of Software Design

A Philosophy of Software Design PDF Author: John Ousterhout
Publisher: Yaknyam Publishing
ISBN: 9781732102200
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description


An Elegant Puzzle

An Elegant Puzzle PDF Author: Will Larson
Publisher: Stripe Press
ISBN: 1953953336
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 281

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Book Description
A human-centric guide to solving complex problems in engineering management, from sizing teams to handling technical debt. There’s a saying that people don’t leave companies, they leave managers. Management is a key part of any organization, yet the discipline is often self-taught and unstructured. Getting to the good solutions for complex management challenges can make the difference between fulfillment and frustration for teams—and, ultimately, between the success and failure of companies. Will Larson’s An Elegant Puzzle focuses on the particular challenges of engineering management—from sizing teams to handling technical debt to performing succession planning—and provides a path to the good solutions. Drawing from his experience at Digg, Uber, and Stripe, Larson has developed a thoughtful approach to engineering management for leaders of all levels at companies of all sizes. An Elegant Puzzle balances structured principles and human-centric thinking to help any leader create more effective and rewarding organizations for engineers to thrive in.

First Fault Software Problem Solving

First Fault Software Problem Solving PDF Author: Dan Skwire
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781906717421
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 180

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Book Description
Written by a veteran in mission-critical computer system problem resolution, problem prevention, and system recovery, this book discusses solving problems on their FIRST occurrence while emphasizing software supportability and serviceability. Who should read this book? Software professional engineers and managers; End-users, system administrators and their managers; Software engineering students. What will the readers of this book learn? How to optimize use of pre-existing software problem solving features; How to choose the best products to improve first fault problem-solving; How to get the best results when problems occur on outsourced and cloud-placed work; How to choose amongst first-fault tools, second-fault tools, and manual problem solving methods to best advantage for difficult problems; How to be an educated consumer or creator of future problem-solving software. What is the business value of reading this book? Saving money on problem solving resources (servers, storage, network, software, power, space, cooling, personnel); Keeping customers happier since their issues are resolved sooner; Reducing the durations of computer service outages that affect external clients; Decreasing operational overhead and encouraging sustainable, higher-performing organizations and enterprises through best problem-solving practices. What else is special about this book? 21 original illustrations to feed the soul and tickle the funny-bone; 21 thought-provoking quotes to feed the intellect and the spirit; An extensive bibliography to aid in clarification and personal growth.

IEEE Computer Society Real-World Software Engineering Problems

IEEE Computer Society Real-World Software Engineering Problems PDF Author: J. Fernando Naveda
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 0470047399
Category : Study Aids
Languages : en
Pages : 328

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Book Description
Key problems for the IEEE Computer Society Certified Software Development Professional (CSDP) Certification Program IEEE Computer Society Real-World Software Engineering Problems helps prepare software engineering professionals for the IEEE Computer Society Certified Software Development Professional (CSDP) Certification Program. The book offers workable, real-world sample problems with solutions to help readers solve common problems. In addition to its role as the definitive preparation guide for the IEEE Computer Society Certified Software Development Professional (CSDP) Certification Program, this resource also serves as an appropriate guide for graduate-level courses in software engineering or for professionals interested in sharpening or refreshing their skills. The book includes a comprehensive collection of sample problems, each of which includes the problem's statement, the solution, an explanation, and references. Topics covered include: * Engineering economics * Test * Ethics * Maintenance * Professional practice * Software configuration * Standards * Quality assurance * Requirements * Metrics * Software design * Tools and methods * Coding * SQA and V & V IEEE Computer Society Real-World Software Engineering Problems offers an invaluable guide to preparing for the IEEE Computer Society Certified Software Development Professional (CSDP) Certification Program for software professionals, as well as providing students with a practical resource for coursework or general study.

The Problem with Software

The Problem with Software PDF Author: Adam Barr
Publisher: MIT Press
ISBN: 0262348217
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 317

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Book Description
An industry insider explains why there is so much bad software—and why academia doesn't teach programmers what industry wants them to know. Why is software so prone to bugs? So vulnerable to viruses? Why are software products so often delayed, or even canceled? Is software development really hard, or are software developers just not that good at it? In The Problem with Software, Adam Barr examines the proliferation of bad software, explains what causes it, and offers some suggestions on how to improve the situation. For one thing, Barr points out, academia doesn't teach programmers what they actually need to know to do their jobs: how to work in a team to create code that works reliably and can be maintained by somebody other than the original authors. As the size and complexity of commercial software have grown, the gap between academic computer science and industry has widened. It's an open secret that there is little engineering in software engineering, which continues to rely not on codified scientific knowledge but on intuition and experience. Barr, who worked as a programmer for more than twenty years, describes how the industry has evolved, from the era of mainframes and Fortran to today's embrace of the cloud. He explains bugs and why software has so many of them, and why today's interconnected computers offer fertile ground for viruses and worms. The difference between good and bad software can be a single line of code, and Barr includes code to illustrate the consequences of seemingly inconsequential choices by programmers. Looking to the future, Barr writes that the best prospect for improving software engineering is the move to the cloud. When software is a service and not a product, companies will have more incentive to make it good rather than “good enough to ship."

Facts and Fallacies of Software Engineering

Facts and Fallacies of Software Engineering PDF Author: Robert L. Glass
Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional
ISBN: 9780321117427
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 218

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Book Description
Regarding the controversial and thought-provoking assessments in this handbook, many software professionals might disagree with the authors, but all will embrace the debate. Glass identifies many of the key problems hampering success in this field. Each fact is supported by insightful discussion and detailed references.

Modern Software Engineering

Modern Software Engineering PDF Author: David Farley
Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional
ISBN: 0137314868
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 478

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Book Description
Improve Your Creativity, Effectiveness, and Ultimately, Your Code In Modern Software Engineering, continuous delivery pioneer David Farley helps software professionals think about their work more effectively, manage it more successfully, and genuinely improve the quality of their applications, their lives, and the lives of their colleagues. Writing for programmers, managers, and technical leads at all levels of experience, Farley illuminates durable principles at the heart of effective software development. He distills the discipline into two core exercises: learning and exploration and managing complexity. For each, he defines principles that can help you improve everything from your mindset to the quality of your code, and describes approaches proven to promote success. Farley's ideas and techniques cohere into a unified, scientific, and foundational approach to solving practical software development problems within realistic economic constraints. This general, durable, and pervasive approach to software engineering can help you solve problems you haven't encountered yet, using today's technologies and tomorrow's. It offers you deeper insight into what you do every day, helping you create better software, faster, with more pleasure and personal fulfillment. Clarify what you're trying to accomplish Choose your tools based on sensible criteria Organize work and systems to facilitate continuing incremental progress Evaluate your progress toward thriving systems, not just more "legacy code" Gain more value from experimentation and empiricism Stay in control as systems grow more complex Achieve rigor without too much rigidity Learn from history and experience Distinguish "good" new software development ideas from "bad" ones Register your book for convenient access to downloads, updates, and/or corrections as they become available. See inside book for details.

Software Design Decoded

Software Design Decoded PDF Author: Marian Petre
Publisher: MIT Press
ISBN: 0262035189
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 185

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Book Description
An engaging, illustrated collection of insights revealing the practices and principles that expert software designers use to create great software. What makes an expert software designer? It is more than experience or innate ability. Expert software designers have specific habits, learned practices, and observed principles that they apply deliberately during their design work. This book offers sixty-six insights, distilled from years of studying experts at work, that capture what successful software designers actually do to create great software. The book presents these insights in a series of two-page illustrated spreads, with the principle and a short explanatory text on one page, and a drawing on the facing page. For example, “Experts generate alternatives” is illustrated by the same few balloons turned into a set of very different balloon animals. The text is engaging and accessible; the drawings are thought-provoking and often playful. Organized into such categories as “Experts reflect,” “Experts are not afraid,” and “Experts break the rules,” the insights range from “Experts prefer simple solutions” to “Experts see error as opportunity.” Readers learn that “Experts involve the user”; “Experts take inspiration from wherever they can”; “Experts design throughout the creation of software”; and “Experts draw the problem as much as they draw the solution.” One habit for an aspiring expert software designer to develop would be to read and reread this entertaining but essential little book. The insights described offer a guide for the novice or a reference for the veteran—in software design or any design profession. A companion web site provides an annotated bibliography that compiles key underpinning literature, the opportunity to suggest additional insights, and more.

Software Design for Flexibility

Software Design for Flexibility PDF Author: Chris Hanson
Publisher: MIT Press
ISBN: 0262362473
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 449

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Book Description
Strategies for building large systems that can be easily adapted for new situations with only minor programming modifications. Time pressures encourage programmers to write code that works well for a narrow purpose, with no room to grow. But the best systems are evolvable; they can be adapted for new situations by adding code, rather than changing the existing code. The authors describe techniques they have found effective--over their combined 100-plus years of programming experience--that will help programmers avoid programming themselves into corners. The authors explore ways to enhance flexibility by: Organizing systems using combinators to compose mix-and-match parts, ranging from small functions to whole arithmetics, with standardized interfaces Augmenting data with independent annotation layers, such as units of measurement or provenance Combining independent pieces of partial information using unification or propagation Separating control structure from problem domain with domain models, rule systems and pattern matching, propagation, and dependency-directed backtracking Extending the programming language, using dynamically extensible evaluators