All About Software Maintenance: 50 Questions and Answers

Abstract

This article answers 50 key questions that every software maintenance manager should ask to improve the software maintenance process. Issues include the feasibility and applicability of software reuse and the development of maintainable software as well as the improvement of existing software and achieving programmer and software productivity. An overview of software tools that aid in maintaining code is also provided.     

试论面向对象软件的维护

随着面向对象技术的广泛使用,面向对象软件不易维护(原因是维护者不易分析、理解这类软件)的问题已越来越突出。本文在讨论面向对象技术对软件维护影响的基础上,探讨了面向对象软件的维护问题,并提出了解决的对策。     

NT Security Questions and Answers

Abstract

Last July Microsoft's Web site was practically inaccessible for one day from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. It was the second time that Microsoft's site had been hacked in as many weeks. Both incidents had high visibility and received national press coverage (the author first read about this second incident in The New York Times). Little wonder then that Windows NT network managers and their bosses are becoming more aware of Windows NT security issues.     

More Questions than Answers

Abstract

In this commentary on ‘Time to Change Drivers for Science Literacy’ by Peter Fensham I address two issues raised by Fensham. First, Why is reforming the science curriculum so hard? I suggest that the reason that science curriculum reform is difficult to achieve is that the practice of science teaching has been shaped by the culture in which it is embedded. Second, What are the potential possibilities of and problems with Fensham's reform proposal? The content of the curriculum that Fensham proposes would be largely dependent on how the societal experts are chosen and on what media sources are examined. Finally, we need to recognize that whatever we agree upon today as the most appropriate content for the science curriculum must be continually negotiated and revised.     

Questions and Answers in an Orthoalgebraic Approach

Taking the lead from orthodox quantum theory, I will introduce a handy generalization of the Boolean approach to propositions and questions: the orthoalgebraic framework. I will demonstrate that this formalism relates to a formal theory of questions (or ??observables?? in the physicist??s jargon). This theory allows formulating attitude questions, which normally are non-commuting, i.e., the ordering of the questions affects the answer behavior of attitude questions. Further, it allows the expression of conditional questions such as ??If Mary reads the book, will she recommend it to Peter???, and thus gives the framework the semantic power of raising issues and being informative at the same time. In the case of commuting observables, there are close similarities between the orthoalgebraic approach to questions and the J?ger/Hulstijn approach to question semantics. However, there are also differences between the two approaches even in case of commuting observables. The main difference is that the J?ger/Hulstijn approach relates to a partition theory of questions whereas the orthoalgebraic approach relates to a ??decorated?? partition theory (i.e. the elements of the partition are decorated by certain semantic values). Surprisingly, the orthoalgebraic approach is able to overcome most of the difficulties of the J?ger/Hulstijn approach. Furthermore, the general approach is suitable to describe the different types of (non-commutative) attitude questions as investigated in modern survey research. Concluding, I will suggest that an active dialogue between the traditional model-theoretic approaches to semantics and the orthoalgebraic paradigm is mandatory.