SEIC News, Week Ending Dec. 27, 1996

SEIC News, Week Ending Dec. 27, 1996

[SEIC]

Software Engineering News Brief
Week Ending:  December 27, 1996

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AGREEMENTS WILL REACH 40,000 WITH ADA PROGRAMMING TRAINING
Topic:  Ada

Some 40,000 programmers are expected to be trained in Ada 95 over the 
next three years using Aonix' Ada 95 compiler ObjectAda, as a result of 
two recent agreements.

One of the agreements, with the Ada Joint Program Office (AJPO), 
establishes Aonix Ada compilers as the standard for the U.S. military 
academies, marking the first time each of the academies has used a 
compiler from the same manufacturer.

The second agreement, with publisher Addison Wesley Longman, calls for 
Aonix compilers to be included with two leading books offering Ada 95 
training.

The 40,000 programmers expected to be trained with Aonix Ada compilers is 
believed to represent a significant percentage of the available workforce 
for government contractors in the coming years.

SOURCE:  Business Wire, Dec. 4, 1996.  Copyright 1996 Business Wire, Inc.

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SOFTWARE EXPLOSION RATTLES CAR MAKERS
Topic:  Reuse

Automakers move toward object-oriented programming and code reuse with 
guarantees that automobile consumers will not be able to alter critical 
code.  Automakers are also investing increasing amounts of resources into 
programming to meet escalating demands and government regulations.  The 
average car contains 10 to 15 processors while the more expensive 
varieties have as many as 80.  Growing requirements for software prompt 
programmers to reduce the amount of code they need by upgrading to 
higher-level languages.  Automakers are exploring the option of 
off-the-shelf operating systems.  A European consortium is previewing 
open systems automotive electronics (OSEK).  American car makers, however, 
concur that any discussion of open systems must maintain assurances that 
software can only be opened up to the programmers and companies who 
build and maintain the cars.  Software-intensive systems tend to duplicate 
year after year making reusable code a tremendous cost and time saving 
measure.

SOURCE:  Costlow, Terry.  Electronic Engineering Times.  Oct. 28, 1996, 
n925, p.1(3).  Copyright 1996 CMP Publications, Inc.

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THE MANY FACTS OF OBJECTS
Topic:  Reuse

Component-based design, long popular in other industries, is becoming 
prevalent in software development.  This approach allows programmers to 
reuse code and gives users more choices while building applications.  The 
growing market for third-party components have made OLE technology 
central to Microsoft's 32-bit architecture.  Components have also become 
necessary for developing tools for and working in Java.  Specialized 
components from third-party vendors will increase as more advanced Java 
rapid applications development tools become available.  Java components 
have been particularly helpful to Web developers, offering client side 
processing without requiring configuration.  Applet buyers should look 
for exposed properties or resources to ensure enhanced functionality.

SOURCE:  Petrovic, Bob.  Computing Canada.  Sep. 12, 1996, v22 n19, p. 
38(1).  Copyright 1996 Plesman Publications Ltd. (Canada).

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