Path: utzoo!mnetor!tmsoft!dptcdc!lethe!dave
From: dave@lethe.UUCP (Dave Collier-Brown)
Newsgroups: comp.software-eng
Subject: Re: Design Methodologies - Fact or Illusion
Keywords: method methodology specification
Message-ID: <2374@lethe.UUCP>
Date: 29 Apr 89 03:17:31 GMT
References: <747@dcl-csvax.comp.lancs.ac.uk> <39400014@m.cs.uiuc.edu>
Reply-To: dave@lethe.UUCP (Dave Collier-Brown)
Organization: Interlaf Canada, News courtesy of Systems Software
Lines: 23


  For a good explanation of both the power and difficulty of formal
methods in specification (and design), have a look at:

  Wl'adsl'aw M. Turski and Thomas S. E. Maibaum, "The Specification of
Computer Programs", Reading, Mass (Addison-Wesley), 1987, 263pps + references.

  To summarize, it took me 6 months to read the book, having taken classes 
from Tom in the (distant!) past.  The mental and notational tools therein
are usefull, but requires considerable thought and effort.  Now, tell me again
that brand X SDE or brand Y methodology  is going to solve problems in 
**this** area?  Pfaugh!

--dave (see note below) c-b
  To be fair, I once worked on an SDE that looked after the bookkeeping, not
the methods and tools.  It was a **very** worthwhile approach.  


-- 
David Collier-Brown,  | {toronto area...}lethe!dave
72 Abitibi Ave.,      |  Joyce C-B:
Willowdale, Ontario,  |     He's so smart he's dumb.
CANADA. 223-8968      |