A tale of two greps

Text searching programs such as the UNIX system tools grep and egrep require more than just good algorithms; they need to make efficient use of system resources such as I/O. I describe improving the I/O management in grep and egrep by using a new fast I/O library fio to replace the normal I/O library stdio. I also describe incorporating the Boyer-Moore algorithm into egrep; egrep is now typically 8–10 (for some common patterns 30–40) times faster than grep.     

A tale of two outsourcing contracts

This study analyzes two extreme outsourcing situations. In the first case, contractual problems derailed the original agreement and precipitated a disastrous divorce. In the second case, the strategic alliance between the firm and its suppliers was supported by governance mechanisms that paved the way to a successful and harmonious relationship. Agency theory provides a conceptual background for analyzing the cases. Lessons are drawn from the experiences of the firms studied, and recommendations are made for the design of outsourcing contracts that curb contractual opportunism.     

A tale of two pricing systems for services

Due to advances in technology and the rapid growth of online service offerings, various innovative web-based service models and delivery methods have appeared—including several free services. It is not always clear whether and how these emerging mechanisms for online service delivery will result in profitable businesses. In this paper, with an eye towards beginning to understand the issues involved, we present an analytical model of rational customer choice between available service plans. In particular, our model predicts how a monopoly service provider should devise its plans, if it understands such customer behavior. We then describe how this model would need to be extended in order to reflect increasingly inexpensive and even free service offerings.     

A tale of two futures [software industry]

Will the coming years bring the dawn of software's golden age or an ever-worsening nightmare of disasters and cutbacks? The author explains why either outcome, or both, are possible. He discusses improvements such as new application development tools and advanced hardware technology. He then focuses on the Year 2000 problem in contrast     

Content-based assembly search: A step towards assembly reuse

The increased use of CAD systems by product development organizations has resulted in the creation of large databases of assemblies. This explosion of assembly data is likely to continue in the future. In many situations, a text-based search alone may not be sufficient to search for assemblies and it may be desirable to search for assemblies based on the content of the assembly models. The ability to perform content-based searches on these databases is expected to help the designers in the following two ways. First, it can facilitate the reuse of existing assembly designs, thereby reducing the design time. Second, a lot of useful designs for manufacturing, and assembly knowledge are implicitly embedded in existing assemblies. Therefore a capability to locate existing assemblies and examine them can be used as a learning tool by designers to learn from the existing assembly designs. This paper describes a system for performing content-based searches on assembly databases. We identify templates for comprehensive search definitions and describe algorithms to perform content-based searches for mechanical assemblies. We also illustrate the capabilities of our system through several examples.     

A hierarchical assembly knowledge representation framework and microdevice assembly ontology

Microdevice assembly knowledge is dispersed in different product development phases, such as assembly design, assembly simulation and assembly process, and a lot of essential knowledge is implicit and heterogeneous. It is difficult for researchers and computer-aided systems to share and reuse different assembly knowledge quickly and accurately, leading to inefficient and inaccurate assembly process planning. To integrate and structurally represent the assembly design knowledge, assembly simulation knowledge and assembly process knowledge of microdevice, this paper proposes a hierarchical assembly knowledge representation framework and develops a microdevice assembly ontology. There are four layers in the framework, including the organizational structure, the structural relationship, the assembly accuracy, and the process characteristics. The assembly design knowledge that is integrated involves the basic properties of the assembly object as well as the spatial, mating, and assembly relationship, etc. Assembly simulation knowledge refers to the permissible range of assembly force and contact force. Knowledge of assembly processes comprises assembly sequence and operating method of the part. The microdevice assembly ontology is developed based on METHONTOLOGY, and implemented with Protégé. The corresponding SWRL rules have been established to inference the implicit knowledge in assembly design. An ignition target assembly knowledge model based on the microdevice assembly ontology is constructed. In the assembly task of the ignition target, engineers can quickly and accurately access the required assembly knowledge from the ignition target assembly knowledge model, thus verifying the integrity and validity of the microdevice assembly ontology.     

A scheme for mechanical assembly design and assembly line layout conceptualization

A scheme in this paper makes possible to analyze a complex assembly design at an early design stage and generate assembly sequences efficiently. The designer's knowledge is used to obtain the preference module set. The modulability of the set is tested and used to generate assembly sequences hierarchically. Sequences generated by this scheme reflect the designers' preference for modules and facilitates to figure out an assembly line layout from an assembly design. The applicability of the scheme is verified in an example.     

A multiscale assembly inspection algorithm

An important aspect of robust automated assembly is an accurate and efficient method for the inspection of finished assemblies. This novel algorithm is trained on synthetic images generated using the CAD model of the different components of the assembly. Once trained on synthetic images, the algorithm can detect assembly errors by examining real images of the assembled product     

Computational Coordination Mechanisms: A tale of a struggle for flexibility

Coordination mechanisms (CMs) can be defined as any kind of computable construct whose aim is to organize activities performed by a group of actors that are called to collaborate for some purpose or reason. As such, CMs can be observed, conceived for and applied in a vast number of coordinative practices in almost every work setting. The advent of information and communication technologies has raised the issue of how these technologies could be used to help cooperating actors governing the increasing complexity of collaboration in modern organizations. This issue has been at the core of CSCW from its foundation until today: the field studies therein conducted have highlighted the flexibility by which human beings master this complexity. The requirement of flexibility has become one of the necessary conditions to guarantee the effectiveness of any computer support of coordination. The paper presents the main paradigms and approaches that have been proposed to fulfil this challenging requirement. The story shows that this effort has really been a sort of a struggle for either conceptual and technological solutions that are still to be fully realized and generally adopted in the field of work.     

Lines in space. 5. A tale of two lines

The author considers how two lines can interact, what geometric relationships they can have, and the algebraic indicators of those relationships (as expressed by tensor diagrams)? Three possibilities exist. Two lines can coincide, intersect, or be disjoint (skew).     

Mandates and technology acceptance: A tale of two enterprise technologies

Enterprise information systems are usually mandatory. However, surprisingly little research has been directed to the nature and operation of mandates in research on enterprise systems and on information technology implementation. This study takes a closer look at mandates and their role in the implementation and acceptance of enterprise technologies. Our analysis focuses on the implementation of two enterprise level systems in a major state-funded university system in the US: (1) a state-wide financial management information system that is mandated for use by a large university system; and (2) a system-wide financial and administrative information system that is designed at the university system level and mandated for the individual units of the university system. The analysis offers a deeper look at mandates and is intended to surface features not evident when mandates are regarded simply as another type of directive or order from top management. It also illuminates the politics of enterprise system implementation from the perspective of the negotiation of meaning and responsibilities.     

A concept analysis of Jonathan Swift'sA tale of a Tub andGulliver's Travels

Language Resources and Evaluation - Part 1. The core of the concept analysis method is a dictionary of 43,000 words to each of which is assigned up to 5 of 168 concepts. Computer programs read each...     

A tale of three disciplines and a revolution [software engineering]

Circuit engineering is a discipline that has done the job right, and genetic engineering is at least trying to do the job right. Both have managed vast complexity and achieved a high level of public trust. Software engineering could take lessons from either discipline, and this is not simply an academician's lament; the cost of software is enormous and risk to public safety daunting. Many of us regard the 1968 NATO conference as the birth of software engineering, which was then regarded as the design of computer programs and software-intensive systems within a performance, quality, and economical framework. Like circuit and genetic engineers, software engineers should look first to the underlying science for vocabulary, methods and tools. Software is the hope and means for progress in science and in better industrial products, yet software engineering seems to be languishing in a dark prison of its own making. Professional societies, industry associations and government regulators must certify products in narrow specializations. Programming language compilers is an area that is sufficiently mature to support effective certification protocols. The software field must find a way to bind university preparation with industry practice.