Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!sdd.hp.com!mips!apple!voder!pyramid!athertn!Atherton.COM!dlw From: dlw@Atherton.COM (David Williams) Newsgroups: comp.software-eng Subject: Re: Art vs. Engineering Keywords: metaphors Message-ID: <35201@athertn.Atherton.COM> Date: 9 May 91 22:33:57 GMT References: <1991May9.124559.2924@ssd.kodak.com> <1991May6.165902.2116@ssd.kodak.com> <35177@athertn.Atherton.COM> Sender: news@athertn.Atherton.COM Reply-To: dlw@Atherton.COM (David Williams) Distribution: usa Organization: Atherton Technology -- Sunnyvale, CA Lines: 73 In article <1991May9.124559.2924@ssd.kodak.com>, nichols@ssd.kodak.com (Tim Nichols (37894)) writes: >In article <1991May6.165902.2116@ssd.kodak.com>, nichols@ssd.kodak.com >(Tim Nichols (37894)) writes: >...(many good comments)... > Scott Mcgregor writes: In article <35177@athertn.Atherton.COM> mcgregor@hemlock.Atherton.COM (Scott McGregor) writes: >I don't know if I disagree or not, but I am not quite so certain as you that >Software as a technological discipline will wind up looking more like >traditional engineering. At least one other possible path seems possible. >At the end of the last century, filmaking was a very technical discipline. >...(stuff deleted)... >There are many kinds of software, and it may well be that different >parts of it go different ways. I could easily see systems that support >analytical chemistry instruments, or systems that calculate trajectories >going in the >direction you describe, and at the same time, I can see systems aimed at >increasing the capabilities of the average office worker to remember, to >coordinate with others, etc. going the filmaking direction. > ...(more stuff deleted)... >Scott McGregor >mcgregor@atherton.com Tim Nichols responds: >You make a valid point, but I contend that filmmaking is the wrong analogy to >apply. Films largely try to educate and/or entertain. The vast majority of >software does not (excepting video games and the like). A good film should >be memorable; good software should not even be noticed. (someone stated this I'm not sure I buy this...while you are sitting in a theatre experiencing a film if it is a good/entertaining/interesting one you are generally not thinking hey I am watching a film. The filmmaker draws you in so you feel a part of the proceedings. After you exit the theatre you will probably remember a good experience with the film--why is it not reasonable to have the same feeling on leaving your workstation after using a well designed software package? I mean other than nfs (which one becomes aware of when stale handles occur) and other kinds of OS service level software what examples of "stealth" software do you have to draw on? >Given that the vast bulk of software we build and use is dedicated to helping >us work smarter and faster, to have it be memorable would be cumbersome. Perhaps if it is memorable it is encouraging habit creation and preservation. These days it seems more like working faster is as a result of hardware performance improvements rather than software improvements. >I contend that a better anaology would be the role of a building architect. >A building architect is aware of the technical aspects of construction, but >his design effort is focused on how people interact with the building. In a >similar vein, the software architect should be focused on how people interact >with the system. Once the architecural design has been completed, the >technical engineers will apply their processes to insure that the building >(or software system) won't fall down. >The role of the software architect was missing from my original post. This >person requires a unique blend of engineering, artistic, and cognitive >awareness skills to design systems which interact well with people, and >are still readily engineered from a system structure perspective. Sounds reasonable, but I like the film analogy as well, perhaps because it might get us to improve how we interact with our user community. I mean, notice that we don't have user MANUALS and training classes for either films or video games? >-- > Tim Nichols Eastman Kodak Company > nichols@ssd.kodak.com Rochester, New York David Williams "Another one of those strange guys at Atherton Technology"