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From: cox@stpstn.UUCP (Brad Cox)
Newsgroups: comp.software-eng
Subject: Re: Development vs Engineering
Message-ID: <5682@stpstn.UUCP>
Date: 14 Oct 90 14:06:48 GMT
References: <27696@bellcore.bellcore.com> <2450009@hpfcmgw.HP.COM> <84754@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu>
Reply-To: cox@stpstn.UUCP (Brad Cox)
Organization: Stepstone
Lines: 18

>Actually quite a bit of engineering is accomplished without testing.
>You rarely see testing of a bridge or building or dam, for example.
>Safety and reliability are achieved by analysis, modeling and simulation,
>inspection during construction, etc. I'd say that the jury is still out
>on which techniques will prove the most effective for software engineering.

The testing went on behind the scenes,
in building standard reference manuals for
the materials approved for use in building 
bridges, builds or dams.

This is where we depart from engineering...
i.e. that programmers feel competent to reinvent
our raw materials from first principles.
-- 

Brad Cox; cox@stepstone.com; CI$ 71230,647; 203 426 1875
The Stepstone Corporation; 75 Glen Road; Sandy Hook CT 06482