The Florida Digital Archive and DAITSS: a working preservation repository based on format migration

The Florida Digital Archive is a long-term digital preservation repository for the use of the libraries of the public universities of Florida. It is managed by the Florida Center for Library Automation (FCLA) and based on Dark Archive in the Sunshine State (DAITSS), repository software developed by FCLA with the aid of grant funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). DAITSS is designed to implement active preservation strategies based on format transformations including forward migration, normalization, and localization. As a case study, the Florida Digital Archive and DAITSS show that active preservation strategies can be incorporated into repository applications from the start, and that doing so affects all aspects of application design. The Florida Digital Archive has been in production since November 2005. The DAITSS application is nearing completion and will be released as open source software in 2006.     

Verified software: a grand challenge

Given the right computer-based tools, the use of formal methods could become widespread and transform software engineering. The computer science community recently committed itself to making verified software a reality within the next 15 to 20 years when representatives met in Zurich in 2005 to discuss an international grand challenge on verification.     

A VERSATILE DEVELOPMENT TOOL FOR KNOWLEDGE-BASED COMPUTER VISION

Knowledge-based computer vision creates a large variety of different design tasks including low-level image processing tasks, components for symbol manipulation, and complex cognitive processes. The diversity of requirements of these tasks calls for radically new concepts in terms of hardware and software structures. Classical design tools, such as image processing systems, support only small portions of this large task set. In this paper we report on an interactive and homogeneous software environment termed the Vision Kernel System (VKS) that aims at supporting the entire spectrum of problems encountered in knowledge-based computer vision.     

Computer vision for artists and designers: pedagogic tools and techniques for novice programmers

This article attempts to demystify computer vision for novice programmers through a survey of new applications in the arts, system design considerations, and contemporary tools. It introduces the concept and gives a brief history of computer vision within interactive art from Myron Kruger to the present. Basic techniques of computer vision such as detecting motion and object tracking are discussed in addition to various software applications created for exploring the topic. As an example, the results of a one-week machine vision workshop are presented to show how designers are able to apply their skills toward creating novel uses of these technologies. The article concludes with a listing of code for basic computer vision techniques.     

Personal Computer Displays

The personal computer's display is a key component in the interactive and natural user interfaces that personal computer applications provide. The display architecture determines how realistic the pictures on the monitor will be and how interactive the application will be. This article describes the technological and architectural evolution of personal computer displays, and the impact of this evolution on the system and application software. It then discusses the future of these displays and their future uses, on the basis of ongoing technical research and the users' desires and demands.     

A C++ data model supporting reachability analysis and dead codedetection

A software repository provides a central information source for understanding and reengineering code in a software project. Complex reverse engineering tools can be built by analyzing information stored in the repository without reparsing the original source code. The most critical design aspect of a repository is its data model, which directly affects how effectively the repository supports various analysis tasks. This paper focuses on the design rationales behind a data model for a C++ software repository that supports reachability analysis and dead code detection at the declaration level. These two tasks are frequently needed in large software projects to help remove excess software baggage, select regression tests and support software reuse studies. The language complexity introduced by class inheritance, friendship, and template instantiation in C++ requires a carefully designed model to catch all necessary dependencies for correct reachability analysis. We examine the major design decisions and their consequences in our model and illustrate how future software repositories can be evaluated for completeness at a selected abstraction level. Examples are given to illustrate how our model also supports variants of reachability analysis: impact analysis, class visibility analysis, and dead code detection. Finally, we discuss the implementation and experience of our analysis tools on a few C++ software projects     

Tool Integration in Distributed Environments: an Experience Report in a Manufacturing Framework

Due to enormous pressure from national and international marketplaces, computer integrated manufacturing ( cim) has become a tremendously important area for both research and development. However, the current state of the art is still characterized by islands of automation. In order to connect these islands, appropriate frameworks have to be developed to integrate heterogeneous computer aided design ( cad) tools. We present in this paper a federated approach to tool integration in distributed and heterogeneous environments making tools evolve in an autonomous way. We have experimented this approach by integrating propel and spex cad tools in the dmms ( design management and manufacturing system) environment backed by a common pcte providing an open repository for software development. We use in our experiment an implementation of pcte 1.5 named Emeraude V12.5, product of gie emeraude repository.     

The System PARCS-JAVA for Parallel Computations on Computer Networks

The system PARCS-JAVA provides software tools for solution of problems on computer networks. It can be installed on heterogeneous computer networks and allows users of small computers to use parallel data processing.__________Translated from Kibernetika i Sistemnyi Analiz, No. 1, pp. 25–36, January–February 2005.     

Business model metrics: an open repository

Development of successful business models has become a necessity in turbulent business environments, but compared to research on business modeling tools, attention to the role of metrics in designing business models in literature is limited. Building on existing approaches to business models and performance measurement literature, we develop a generic open repository of metrics related to core business model concepts. We validate and assess the practical value of the repository based on four e-Business model cases. The repository can be utilized in designing business models, specifically for networked enterprises. It is neither complete nor universally applicable, but needs adjustment with each design. Ultimately, with this paper, we hope measurement will become an integral part of the business model innovation discussion.     

Legacy

An increasing proportion of the effort of skilled programmers is devoted to servicing the legacy of software. The techniques and tools currently in use to tackle the problem take good advantage of the results of past research into programming theory. I suggest that new generations of tools will be based on concepts and principles developed by basic research of the present and by future research directed at currently outstanding challenges. These points are illustrated by examples drawn from my personal experience. They show that academic research and education can contribute to industrial development and production in an atmosphere of mutual respect for their different allegiances and timescales, and in recognition of convergence of their long-term goals.