R. A. Henders

Bio: R. A. Henders is an academic researcher from CA Technologies. The author has contributed to research in topics: Code reuse & Source code. The author has an hindex of 1, co-authored 1 publications receiving 5 citations.

An evolutionary approach to application development with object technology

Abstract: Although object-oriented programming (OOP) is not new, it has only recently begun to gain acceptance among independent software vendors. Reasons for this acceptance vary, from a need for basic data encapsulation, to the promise of code reuse, through problem abstraction as a way of dealing with complexity. Despite the advantages inherent in OOP, obstacles to integration with or replacement of existing systems are significant. This is especially true for Application System/400TM (AS/400TM) application vendors, because of a tradition begun with the System/38TM of customers demanding source code. Each independent software vendor (ISV) must determine how to make the transition from procedural to OOP languages in a cost-effective way. This must be done for both ISVs and customers, who have often invested heavily in enhancing and modifying source code to meet their business needs. Acacia Technologies has studied the problem and has adopted a strategy aimed at easing the transition by using a phased approach, starting with encapsulation of AS/400 RPG/400TM functions, continued through relocation of modules where appropriate into a multitiered client/server architecture, with a final target of object-oriented modules communicating in a networked environment. This paper will discuss our approach and the part the San FranciscoTM project is expected to play in its implementation.

Critical Factors for Assimilation of Object-Oriented Programming Languages

Abstract: Object-oriented (OO) technology was expected to rapidly replace traditional functional software technology due to its productivity and quality improvement potential in software development. Still, OO technology is not yet fully understood and utilized by information systems (IS) organizations. Despite the growing interest and attention of the IS researchers and practitioners, empirical research on the assimilation process of OO technology has been limited. The present study assesses the current status of OO technology assimilation in IS organizations and identifies the factors influencing such assimilation from a software process innovation perspective. Innovation attributes and organizational characteristics were tested as determinants of the organizational OO technology assimilation based on a survey of 220 organizations. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the relationships of innovation and organizational variables with the level of OO technology assimilation. The findings indicate that, among the innovation characteristics, perceived complexity and perceived maturity of technology have been found to have positive relationships with organizational assimilation of OO technology.Among the organizational characteristics, intensity of new technology education was positively related to organizational assimilation of OO technology, and satisfaction with existing technology was negatively related to organizational assimilation of OO technology.

On the benefits and problems of the object-oriented paradigm including a finnish study

Abstract: ion is when a client of a module doesn’t need to know more than what is in the interface. The object is in other words an entity that is clearly delimited from its environment, although objects of course have contact with the environment (Taylor, 1992, p. 47). One main difference between an object and a module is that an object rarely operates in isolation, and at runtime an object-oriented information system can usually be seen as a network of communicating objects, which cooperate to achieve the overall functionality of the information system (Mikhajlov, 1999, p. 32). Note that although objects and classes are different things the concept of an ‘object’ is often, in reality, used to mean the class description itself; as a result there are, for example, ‘object models’ meaning class descriptions and ‘account objects’ meaning instances of an “Account” class (Cockburn, 1998, p. 5). An object can also consist of other objects; objects that contain other objects are called composite objects. However, in many systems composite objects have reference variables to other objects, so they do not actually ‘consist’ of other objects. (Taylor, 1992, p. 44) Composite objects can have objects that are also composite, and this type of nesting can go on (Taylor, 1992, p. 47). An object is defined in several ways in Webster’s Encyclopaedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language: One definition (quotation): Anything that is visible or tangible and is stable in form. Another definition (quotation): Anything that might be apprehended intellectually. A third definition (quotation): A thing, person, or matter to which thought or action is directed. Martin & Odell (1992, p. 16) define an object in the following way (quotation): An object is any thing, real or abstract, about which we store data and those methods that manipulate the data.

Chapter VII Language-Action Perspective (LAP)

Abstract: The Language-action perspective (LAP) provides an alternative foundation for analyzing and designing effective information systems. The fundamental principle of the LAP approach is people perform actions through communication; therefore, the role of information systems is to support such communications among people to achieve business goals. Basing on linguistic and communicative theories, the LAP approach provides guidance for researchers to gain understanding on how people use communication to coordinate their activities to achieve common goal. Web services, a leading technology to develop information systems, aims to support communication among services to achieve business goals. The close match between fundamental principles of Web services and the LAP approach suggests that researchers can use the LAP approach as a theoretical guidance to analyze and resolve Web service problems. This chapter provides a comprehensive starting point for researchers, practitioners, and students to gain understanding of the LAP approach.

IBM SanFrancisco: moving into the marketplace

Abstract: Two years ago, the IBM Systems Journal published an issue containing papers on the content and use of the IBM SanFranciscoTM product. Since that time we have seen changes: in the product, in how customers are using the product, and in the marketplace in general. This essay provides a brief review of some of these changes and introduces the papers in this issue related to the SanFrancisco theme.