An industrial case study on variability handling in large enterprise software systems

ContextEnterprise software systems (e.g., enterprise resource planning software) are often deployed in different contexts (e.g., different organizations or different business units or branches of one organization). However, even though organizations, business units or branches have the same or similar business goals, they may differ in how they achieve these goals. Thus, many enterprise software systems are subject to variability and adapted depending on the context in which they are used.ObjectiveOur goal is to provide a snapshot of variability in large scale enterprise software systems. We aim at understanding the types of variability that occur in large industrial enterprise software systems. Furthermore, we aim at identifying how variability is handled in such systems.MethodWe performed an exploratory case study in two large software organizations, involving two large enterprise software systems. Data were collected through interviews and document analysis. Data were analyzed following a grounded theory approach.ResultsWe identified seven types of variability (e.g., functionality, infrastructure) and eight mechanisms to handle variability (e.g., add-ons, code switches).ConclusionsWe provide generic types for classifying variability in enterprise software systems, and reusable mechanisms for handling such variability. Some variability types and handling mechanisms for enterprise software systems found in the real world extend existing concepts and theories. Others confirm findings from previous research literature on variability in software in general and are therefore not specific to enterprise software systems. Our findings also offer a theoretical foundation for describing variability handling in practice. Future work needs to provide more evaluations of the theoretical foundations, and refine variability handling mechanisms into more detailed practices.     

Thermal and transport properties of as-grown Ni-rich TiNi shape memory alloys

Electrical resistivity, Seebeck coefficient, specific heat and thermal conductivity measurements on the Ti_50−xNi_50+x (x = 0.0–1.6 at.%) shape memory alloys are performed to investigate their thermal and transport properties. In this study, anomalous features are observed in both cooling and heating cycles in all measured physical properties of the slightly Ni-rich TiNi alloys (x ≤ 1.0), corresponds to the transformation between the B19′ martensite and B2 austenite phases. Besides, the transition temperature is found to decrease gradually with increasing Ni content, and the driving force for the transition is also found to diminish slowly with the addition of excess Ni, as revealed by specific heat measurements. While the signature of martensitic transformation vanishes for the Ni-rich TiNi alloys with x ≥ 1.3, the characteristics of strain glass transition start to appear. The Seebeck coefficients of these TiNi alloys were found to be positive, suggesting the hole-type carriers dominate the thermoelectric transport. From the high-temperature Seebeck coefficients, the estimated value of Fermi energy ranges from ∼1.5 eV (Ti_48.4Ni_51.6) to ∼2.1 eV (Ti₅₀Ni₅₀), indicating the metallic nature of these alloys. In addition, the thermal conductivity of the slightly Ni-rich TiNi alloys with x ≤ 1.0 shows a distinct anomalous feature at the B19′ → B2 transition, likely due to the variation in lattice thermal conductivity.     

Apparent power-law distributions in animal movements can arise from intraspecific interactions

Lévy flights have gained prominence for analysis of animal movement. In a Lévy flight, step-lengths are drawn from a heavy-tailed distribution such as a power law (PL), and a large number of empirical demonstrations have been published. Others, however, have suggested that animal movement is ill fit by PL distributions or contend a state-switching process better explains apparent Lévy flight movement patterns. We used a mix of direct behavioural observations and GPS tracking to understand step-length patterns in females of two related butterflies. We initially found movement in one species (Euphydryas editha taylori) was best fit by a bounded PL, evidence of a Lévy flight, while the other (Euphydryas phaeton) was best fit by an exponential distribution. Subsequent analyses introduced additional candidate models and used behavioural observations to sort steps based on intraspecific interactions (interactions were rare in E. phaeton but common in E. e. taylori). These analyses showed a mixed-exponential is favoured over the bounded PL for E. e. taylori and that when step-lengths were sorted into states based on the influence of harassing conspecific males, both states were best fit by simple exponential distributions. The direct behavioural observations allowed us to infer the underlying behavioural mechanism is a state-switching process driven by intraspecific interactions rather than a Lévy flight.     

指纹考勤管理软件的研究与实现

针对企、事业单位原有的考勤系统，如打卡钟、磁卡、IC卡等考勤方式存在代打卡、卡丢失等不足和缺陷的实际，结合指纹识别技术，建立一套考勤、薪资、人事管理于一体的软件系统。给出了系统的体系结构和功能实现，能使企业考勤管理更加简便快捷、客观公正。并提出了进一步的发展方向和展望。     

动力环境集中监控系统可靠性的提高

为实现电源设备乃至通信机房的少人或无人值守和集中维护,必须建立一套完善的电信局动力环境集中监控系统。文中结合番禺区电信局的实际,讨论了提高系统运行可靠性的几点措施,包括硬件方面与软件方面的手段,关键在于加强系统的运行管理。     

基于多相滤波器的信道化接收机及其应用研究

本文主要研究了应用多相滤波技术的信道化接收机建模问题。在给定信道频谱划分方案下,推导了基于多相 滤波器的信道化接收机数学模型。并由此模型设计了一个四信道模拟系统。最后用仿真实验结果验证了模型的正确性。     

浅谈计算软件的开发

软件开发重要的是 :确定编程语言 ,代码设计 ,程序设计 ,软件试验 ,人员培训等步骤     

基于TMS320VC5410的最小系统设计

TMS320VC5410是TI公司生产的一款定点数字信号处理(DSP)芯片。基于DSP的最小系统是以其简洁的硬件结构来实现DSP的一般功能,广泛应用于工业生产、教学、科研、电子设计等领域。主要介绍了基于TMS320VC5410的最小系统硬件电路设计方案,阐述了重要电路部分的抗干扰设计和软件调试过程中应注意的若干问题。最后提出了简单易行的软件调试方法以及部分程序代码。     

浅谈如何有效学习计算机软件知识

计算机软件知识的学习并不是完全线性的，而是不断循环往复、迭代的过程。本对如何深入、广泛、有效地学习计算机软件知识做出了一些探讨。     

碳纤维连续抽油杆作业车自动调平系统设计

为保证碳纤维连续抽油杆作业车作业时工作平台处于水平状态,防止侧翻,开展了作业车自动调平系统的设计。在给出自动调平系统构成的基础上,着重论述了系统的自动调平控制方案、自动调平控制原理以及自动调平控制软件的设计,给出作业车自动调平控制系统流程图。