Showing papers by "Peter Wegner published in 1982"

Paradigms of Information Engineering

Abstract: Information Science ~~rt=~~~~c~r Sâence)is a young discipline striving to gain the kind of respectability possessed by Physics, Mathematics, and Engineering. It is therefore not surprising that computcE scientists have modeled their paradigms ~n experimental, mathematical, and engineering disciplines. Definitions of Computer Science that embody each of these traditions are reviewed. Attention is then focused on Engineering paradigms, and in particular on the paradigms of Software Engineering and of the. emerging, subdiscipline of Knowledge Engineering. It is predicted that Knowledge Engineering will emerge as a central subdiscipline in the 1990s with paradigms, such as the &dquo;knowledgegraph&dquo; paradigms, that will emphasize interactive man-machine caoperation in the management, learning, and use of knowledge, Paradigms are described by Thomas Kuhn as &dquo;outstanding achievements that serve as a model for research by a community of researchers.&dquo; [Kuhn, 1962, 1970.] He asserts that &dquo;normal science&dquo; in a mature discipline is generally based on a paradigm that prescribes acceptable research and infIBenœs our interpretation of phenomena. Scientific revolutions such as the transition from Ptotemaic to Copernican astronomy or from Newtonian to relativistic Physics result in a change of para4igm. The term &dquo;’paradigm&dquo; will be used here to denote &dquo;a model for undertaking and evaluating research&dquo; even when there is no associated &dquo;outstanding achieve~nt.&dquo; .

Reflections on capital-intensive software technology

Abstract: "Capital" is defined as a reusable resource, and it is shown that many software engineering activities are capital-intensive in the sense that they serve to create reusable resources. Just as the Eskimo has many different words for snow, we have many words for reusability, including commonality, portability, modularity, abstraction, generality, equivalence, maintainability, adaptability, and sharability. A plausible conclusion is that reusability of the resources we create is as important in our lives as snow is in the life of the Eskimo. The definition of capital in terms of reusability suggests that the reason for the importance of reusability is in part economic. But the drive to create permanent rather than transitory artifacts has aesthetic and intellectual as well as economic motivations, and is part of man's desire for immortality.

The educational issues confronting Ada (Panel Discussion)

Abstract: Sponsored by the Department of Defense, Ada is a programming language that embodies and enforces many modern software methodologies. Thus, the introduction of the language gives the opportunity for improvements in software reliability, maintainability, and clarity. Ada also offers some unique educational challenges and opportunities, so this panel will focus on some of the requirements for industrial, graduate, and undergraduate Ada education. In particular, the panel will explore different teaching methodologies, and will share their experiences in teaching the language.Each panelist is actively involved in the Ada program, and has contributed to the development of an educational strategy for the Ada Joint Program Office.