Given some test case, a program fails. Which circumstances of the test case are responsible for the particular failure? The delta debugging algorithm generalizes and simplifies the failing test case to a minimal test case that still produces the failure. It also isolates the difference between a passing and a failing test case. In a case study, the Mozilla Web browser crashed after 95 user actions. Our prototype implementation automatically simplified the input to three relevant user actions. Likewise, it simplified 896 lines of HTML to the single line that caused the failure. The case study required 139 automated test runs or 35 minutes on a 500 MHz PC.

/pdf/simplifying-and-isolating-failure-inducing-input-21axafn3ni.pdf

Simplifying and isolating failure-inducing input

Experimentation in software engineering is necessary but difficult. One reason is that there are a large number of context variables and, so, creating a cohesive understanding of experimental results requires a mechanism for motivating studies and integrating results. It requires a community of researchers that can replicate studies, vary context variables, and build models that represent the common observations about the discipline. The paper discusses the experience of the authors, based upon a collection of experiments, in terms of a framework for organizing sets of related studies. With such a framework, experiments can be viewed as part of common families of studies, rather than being isolated events. Common families of studies can contribute to important and relevant hypotheses that may not be suggested by individual experiments. A framework also facilitates building knowledge in an incremental manner through the replication of experiments within families of studies. To support the framework, the paper discusses the experiences of the authors in carrying out empirical studies, with specific emphasis on persistent problems encountered in experimental design, threats to validity, criteria for evaluation, and execution of experiments in the domain of software engineering.

/pdf/building-knowledge-through-families-of-experiments-42dzubjfn9.pdf

Building knowledge through families of experiments

SUMMARY This paper describes the LINPACK Benchmark and some of its variations commonly used to assess the performance of computer systems. Aside from the LINPACK Benchmark suite, the TOP500 and the HPL codes are presented. The latter is frequently used to obtained results for TOP500 submissions. Information is also given on how to interpret the results of the benchmark and how the results fit into the performance evaluation process. Copyright c � 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

/pdf/the-linpack-benchmark-past-present-and-future-4k1mphhicd.pdf

The LINPACK Benchmark: past, present and future

This paper describes a new symbolic model checker, called NuSMV, developed as part of a joint project between CMU and IRST. NuSMV is the result of the reengineering, reimplementation and, to a limited extent, extension of the CMU SMV model checker. The core of this paper consists of a detailed description of the NuSMV functionalities, architecture, and implementation.

/pdf/nusmv-a-new-symbolic-model-checker-10i04hxity.pdf

NUSMV: a new symbolic model checker

https://www.dre.vanderbilt.edu/~schmidt/PDF/TAO.pdf

The design of the TAO real-time object request broker

Information Technology-Portable Operating System Interface

Software engineering standards

IEEE Standard for Information Technology - Portable Operating System Interface (POSIX): System Application Program Interface (API), Amendment 1: Realtime Extension (C Language), IEEE Std 1003.1b-1993

IEEE Std 1003.3-1991, IEEE Standard for Information Technology: Test Methods for Measuring Conformance to POSIX

From the Publisher:
The field of personal indoor and mobile radio is a fast developing field. The rapidity of development of compact miniaturized circuity and adequate power units for portability are fueling this wireless applications explosion. The awarding of spectrum licenses throughout the world has impact on design decisions that are reported here and will have long ranging effects on the future developments.

Corporate Ieee

Papers

Information Technology-Portable Operating System Interface

Software engineering standards

IEEE Standard for Information Technology - Portable Operating System Interface (POSIX): System Application Program Interface (API), Amendment 1: Realtime Extension (C Language), IEEE Std 1003.1b-1993

IEEE Std 1003.3-1991, IEEE Standard for Information Technology: Test Methods for Measuring Conformance to POSIX

1996 IEEE International Symposium on Personal Indoor and Mobile Radio Communication