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From: jerbil@cit-vax.Caltech.Edu (Stainless Steel Gerbil [Joe Beckenbach])
Newsgroups: comp.software-eng
Subject: Re: Architecture
Message-ID: <10169@cit-vax.Caltech.Edu>
Date: 28 Mar 89 18:09:34 GMT
References: <1014@afit-ab.arpa>
Reply-To: jerbil@csvax.caltech.edu (Stainless Steel Gerbil [Joe Beckenbach])
Distribution: na
Organization: California Institute of Technology
Lines: 28

In article <1014@afit-ab.arpa> wbralick@blackbird.afit.af.mil (William A. Bralick) writes:
>It seems to me that architecture (as in buildings, not computer systems :-) 
>should provide a useful set of lessons for software engineers.  The parallels
>between software engineering and architecture (especially for a large, unique
>building) are striking -- both are labor intensive, lengthy, expensive, 
>prone to schedule slippages and cost overruns, require not only a sound
>design but also good management practices, both can benefit from standardized
>parts, etc.  Has any formal attempt been made to draw on (this pun
>is intentionally left blank) architecture as a model for solving some
>of the problems in software engineering?

	I've written a few things to this effect, including drawing the
seemingly unpopular view that software engineering is too young a profession
to really be considered engineering yet.  However, should I decide to do
grad school, I guess I'd end up wanting to explore this analogy.  And of
course I'm glad my father isn't on the network, otherwise he'd be very
cheerfully and playfully encouraging me to do so-- especially since he's
working in one of Jacksonville's (FL) bigger architectural firms.

	I'm not sure a formal effort has been made.  Give me a year or two
to do some academia-programming, and I may end up seriously considering 
such.  As long as I have colleagues and lots of chance to really work this
stuff out....

-- 
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