Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!usc!wuarchive!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!rpi!uupsi!ficc!peter From: peter@ficc.ferranti.com (Peter da Silva) Newsgroups: comp.lang.misc Subject: Re: Formal definitions (Re: ada-c++ productivity) Message-ID: Date: 16 Apr 91 16:09:16 GMT References: <1954@optima.cs.arizona.edu> Reply-To: peter@ficc.ferranti.com (Peter da Silva) Organization: Xenix Support, FICC Lines: 10 The use of formal specification can be considered a first implementation of the problem, if you like, building on Brooks' admonition in "The Mythical Man-Month": "build one to throw away -- you will anyway". The first one firms the spec so the second one works. And because the second one is based so closely on the first one it avoids the "second system" syndrome. So, the scientists and engineers agree, they just don't know it. -- Peter da Silva. `-_-' peter@ferranti.com +1 713 274 5180. 'U` "Have you hugged your wolf today?"