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Volume 33, Number 1, 1994
Software Quality |
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Table of contents:  HTML |
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DOI: 10.1147/sj.331.0020 |
Copyright info |
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Forging a silver bullet from the essence of software |
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by R. G. Mays |
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Most improvements in software development technology have occurred
by eliminating the accidental aspects of the technology. Further
progress now depends on addressing the essence of software. Fred Brooks
has characterized the essence of software as a complex construct of
interlocking concepts. He concludes that no silver bullet will
magically reduce the essential conceptual complexity of software. This
paper expands on Brooks's definition to lay a foundation for forging a
possible silver bullet. Discussed are the three essential attributes of
software entities from which a number of consequences arise in software
development: (1) conceptual content, (2) representation, and (3)
multiple subdomains. Four basic approaches to develop technologies are
proposed that directly address the essential attributes. Although some
of these technologies require additional development or testing, they
present the most promise for forging a silver bullet. Among them,
design reabstraction addresses the most difficult attribute, multiple
subdomains, and the most difficult consequence, enhancing existing
code, making it the best prospect.
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