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From: Craig Franck <clfranck@worldnet.att.net>
Subject: Re: Software Engineering and Dreamers
Date: 1997/05/25
Date: 1997-05-25T00:00:00+00:00	[thread overview]
Message-ID: <5m859v$2qr@mtinsc04.worldnet.att.net> (raw)
In-Reply-To: 5m57nu$7si@bcrkh13.bnr.ca


kaz@vision.crest.nt.com (Kaz Kylheku) wrote:
>In article <EACHUS.97May23174831@spectre.mitre.org>,
>Robert I. Eachus <eachus@spectre.mitre.org> wrote:
>>   Another facet of software engineering, and actually demonstrated in
>>the project above.  The synchronization problem is with a new system,
>>and build 2 needs to provide all the capabilities of the currently
>>fielded system AND integrate with the new system.  Enough complexity
>>that you don't want any more.  But build three has room for all the
>>customer wants, and new technology.
>
>That's another pet peeve of mine: using ``technology'' with reference to
>software. I've noticed that some hardware manfuacturers have been using the
>term ``hardware technology'' in their marketing propaganda since it's no
>longer understood what the word really means.
>
>Software is not technology; the stuff that it runs on is technology.

I think you have a real bias against software; you could have just as
easily have said "software runs technology". There may be a symbiotic
relationship with software and hardware. Say you have a tic-tac-toe 
game. Now, they have hardware tic-tac-toe processors (one made out of
tinker toys is at The Computer Museum, in Boston). You can also use 
software to create on. If you did a sort Turing test with the two, you 
would not be able to tell the hardware one from the software one. You
can look at the software as sort of an abstraction of the hardware. 
Then, it would represent a technological break through (just as the 
stored program concept was). So, software as a whole *has* to be 
technological. 

In addition, every software program could be recomposed as hardware.
It would not be modifiable (I don't just mean firmware EPROMs, but 
that actual logic gates and analog systems could, in theory, replace 
any program) but you could have a hardware equivalent. In my mind, 
this makes the whole software/hardware distinction somewhat artificial.
Future generations may even start to view technology as being primarily 
*software* and basically "virtual" in nature.

You can define technology to mean just hardware, but software may just
be plastic hardware. A lot of network and data communications algorithms
and protocols get wired up as hardware for speed, in which case there is 
no software to discriminate against at the lower levels.

-- 
Craig
clfranck@worldnet.att.net
Manchester, NH
BBN has the brightest bit-heads on the planet. -- David Goodtree






  parent reply	other threads:[~1997-05-25  0:00 UTC|newest]

Thread overview: 195+ messages / expand[flat|nested]  mbox.gz  Atom feed  top
1997-05-15  0:00 Any research putting c above ada? Jon S Anthony
1997-05-15  0:00 ` Kaz Kylheku
1997-05-15  0:00   ` Jon S Anthony
     [not found]   ` <01bc6189$b074f500$LocalHost@xhv46.dial.pipex.com>
1997-05-16  0:00     ` Kaz Kylheku
1997-05-16  0:00       ` Jon S Anthony
1997-05-18  0:00         ` Nick Roberts
1997-05-19  0:00           ` NOT about "c above ada" W. Wesley Groleau (Wes)
1997-05-19  0:00         ` Any research putting c above ada? Michael Norrish
1997-05-20  0:00           ` Jon S Anthony
1997-05-20  0:00             ` Kaz Kylheku
1997-05-20  0:00               ` Jon S Anthony
1997-05-20  0:00             ` Michael Norrish
1997-05-20  0:00               ` Jon S Anthony
1997-05-20  0:00               ` Kaz Kylheku
1997-05-20  0:00                 ` Jon S Anthony
1997-05-21  0:00                   ` Kaz Kylheku
1997-05-21  0:00                 ` Craig Franck
1997-05-22  0:00                 ` Software Engineering is not a hoax... (was Re: Any research putting c above ada?) Robert I. Eachus
1997-05-22  0:00                   ` Software Engineering and Dreamers Nick Roberts
1997-05-22  0:00                     ` Tom Moran
1997-05-25  0:00                       ` Robert Dewar
1997-05-26  0:00                         ` David Ray
1997-05-23  0:00                     ` Mark Allen Framness
1997-05-23  0:00                     ` Mark Allen Framness
1997-05-23  0:00                       ` Kaz Kylheku
1997-05-23  0:00                     ` Robert I. Eachus
1997-05-23  0:00                       ` Kaz Kylheku
1997-05-24  0:00                         ` Robert Dewar
1997-05-24  0:00                         ` jason hummel
1997-05-25  0:00                         ` Craig Franck [this message]
1997-05-26  0:00                           ` Kaz Kylheku
1997-05-26  0:00                             ` Craig Franck
1997-05-27  0:00                               ` Kaz Kylheku
1997-05-28  0:00                               ` Fritz W Feuerbacher
1997-05-29  0:00                                 ` Craig Franck
1997-05-29  0:00                                   ` Robert Dewar
1997-05-26  0:00                             ` Robert Dewar
1997-05-27  0:00                               ` Jon S Anthony
1997-05-27  0:00                                 ` Dann Corbit
1997-05-26  0:00                         ` Fritz W Feuerbacher
1997-05-26  0:00                           ` Kaz Kylheku
1997-05-26  0:00                             ` tstcroix
1997-05-27  0:00                               ` Robert Dewar
1997-05-27  0:00                                 ` Kaz Kylheku
1997-05-28  0:00                                   ` Robert Dewar
1997-05-31  0:00                                   ` Nick Roberts
1997-06-02  0:00                                     ` Jon S Anthony
1997-06-09  0:00                                   ` Ralph Silverman
1997-05-27  0:00                             ` Jon S Anthony
1997-05-28  0:00                               ` Robert I. Eachus
1997-05-27  0:00                             ` system
1997-05-27  0:00                               ` Kaz Kylheku
1997-05-28  0:00                                 ` Rich Miller
1997-05-28  0:00                                   ` Bryce Bardin
1997-05-28  0:00                                     ` Lawrence Kirby
1997-05-29  0:00                                       ` Matthew S. Whiting
1997-05-29  0:00                                       ` Nick Leaton
1997-05-28  0:00                                     ` Kaz Kylheku
1997-05-28  0:00                             ` Fritz W Feuerbacher
1997-05-29  0:00                             ` Robert Dewar
1997-05-29  0:00                               ` Kaz Kylheku
1997-05-30  0:00                             ` Vibrating Bum-Faced Goats
1997-05-30  0:00                               ` Robert Dewar
1997-06-02  0:00                                 ` Mathew Hendry
1997-06-03  0:00                                   ` Matthew S. Whiting
1997-06-03  0:00                                     ` Spaceman Spiff
1997-06-03  0:00                                   ` John Winters
1997-06-02  0:00                                     ` Mathew Hendry
1997-06-03  0:00                                       ` Martin C. Carlisle
1997-06-08  0:00                                         ` Joe Charlier
1997-06-09  0:00                                         ` Robert Dewar
1997-06-17  0:00                                           ` Nick Roberts
1997-06-04  0:00                                       ` John Winters
1997-06-06  0:00                                       ` Volker Hetzer
1997-06-06  0:00                                         ` Mathew Hendry
1997-06-08  0:00                                           ` Robert Dewar
1997-06-09  0:00                                             ` Jonathan Guthrie
1997-06-09  0:00                                               ` Mathew Hendry
1997-06-11  0:00                                                 ` Crocodiles [was: Re: Software Engineering and Dreamers] Anonymous
1997-06-11  0:00                                                   ` Off topic: Crocodiles Mukesh Prasad
1997-06-11  0:00                                                     ` Robert Dewar
1997-06-11  0:00                                                       ` Mukesh Prasad
1997-06-12  0:00                                                       ` Jon S Anthony
1997-06-11  0:00                                                   ` Crocodiles [was: Re: Software Engineering and Dreamers] Spam Hater
1997-06-12  0:00                                                     ` Anonymous
1997-06-11  0:00                                                 ` Software Engineering and Dreamers Jonathan Guthrie
1997-06-11  0:00                                                   ` Mathew Hendry
1997-06-17  0:00                                               ` Nick Roberts
1997-06-09  0:00                                             ` Craig Franck
1997-06-08  0:00                                               ` John G. Volan
1997-06-09  0:00                                                 ` Robert Dewar
1997-06-09  0:00                                                   ` John G. Volan
1997-06-10  0:00                                                     ` Robert Dewar
1997-06-09  0:00                                                   ` SE, Dreamers, and on and on and on W. Wesley Groleau (Wes)
1997-06-08  0:00                                               ` Software Engineering and Dreamers Jason Shankel
1997-06-09  0:00                                                 ` Robert Dewar
     [not found]                                         ` <19970606.49CA70..12B91@ae124.du.pipex.com>
1997-06-07  0:00                                           ` Lawrence Kirby
1997-06-09  0:00                                             ` W. Wesley Groleau (Wes)
1997-06-10  0:00                                               ` Robert Dewar
1997-06-10  0:00                                                 ` W. Wesley Groleau (Wes)
1997-06-07  0:00                                       ` Robert Dewar
1997-06-08  0:00                                         ` Mathew Hendry
1997-06-03  0:00                                     ` Ed Prochak - Woodland Consultants
1997-06-03  0:00                                   ` Craig Franck
1997-06-02  0:00                                 ` Nick Roberts
1997-06-07  0:00                                   ` Robert Dewar
1997-06-02  0:00                                 ` Jon S Anthony
1997-06-02  0:00                               ` Jon S Anthony
     [not found]                                 ` <01bc7042$609289e0$cb61e426@DCorbit.solutionsiq.com>
1997-06-03  0:00                                   ` Off topic response to an off topic message--> was:Re: " H. Blakely Williford
1997-06-04  0:00                                     ` Craig Franck
1997-06-03  0:00                                       ` Spaceman Spiff
1997-06-09  0:00                                         ` Ceri Stagg
1997-06-12  0:00                                           ` Philip Brashear
1997-07-21  0:00                                             ` Shmuel (Seymour J.) Metz
1997-06-09  0:00                                         ` Robert Dewar
1997-06-09  0:00                                         ` Kaz Kylheku
1997-06-10  0:00                                       ` Vibrating Bum-Faced Goats
1997-06-04  0:00                                   ` Vibrating Bum-Faced Goats
1997-06-04  0:00                                     ` �Stephen!
1997-06-05  0:00                                       ` Kaz Kylheku
1997-06-06  0:00                                         ` Volker Hetzer
     [not found]                                     ` <01bc7a5b$9ccdd900$21320f9b@mindlin>
     [not found]                                       ` <5o7ahj$oos$1@news12.gte.net>
1997-06-18  0:00                                         ` Philip Hindman
1997-06-18  0:00                                         ` Spam Hater
1997-06-18  0:00                                           ` Spaceman Spiff
1997-06-19  0:00                                             ` Stephan Wilms
1997-06-20  0:00                                             ` Spam Hater
1997-06-19  0:00                                           ` Mukesh Prasad
1997-06-19  0:00                                         ` Craig Franck
1997-06-18  0:00                                           ` Spaceman Spiff
1997-06-19  0:00                                             ` Steve Howard
1997-06-19  0:00                                               ` Anonymous
1997-06-20  0:00                                             ` Spam Hater
1997-06-21  0:00                                               ` Spaceman Spiff
1997-06-23  0:00                                               ` root
1997-06-22  0:00                                             ` Alicia Carla Longstreet
1997-06-19  0:00                                           ` Stephan Wilms
1997-06-24  0:00                                           ` David Thornley
1997-06-06  0:00                                 ` Fritz W Feuerbacher
1997-06-06  0:00                                   ` Joe Charlier
1997-06-04  0:00                             ` S. Norby
1997-05-30  0:00                         ` Vibrating Bum-Faced Goats
1997-05-24  0:00                     ` Bill Anderson
1997-05-23  0:00                   ` Software Engineering is not a hoax... (was Re: Any research putting c above ada?) Jeff Carter
1997-05-23  0:00                     ` William M.Gordon
1997-05-23  0:00                       ` Kaz Kylheku
1997-05-23  0:00                         ` John Bode
1997-05-25  0:00                           ` Jon S Anthony
1997-05-25  0:00                           ` Craig Franck
1997-05-25  0:00                           ` Robert Dewar
1997-05-26  0:00                           ` Software Engineering is not a hoax Laurent Gasser
1997-05-26  0:00                             ` Kaz Kylheku
1997-05-27  0:00                             ` Scott Stanchfield
1997-05-27  0:00                               ` Kaz Kylheku
1997-05-27  0:00                                 ` Scott Stanchfield
1997-05-29  0:00                                 ` Dean Runzel
1997-05-29  0:00                                   ` Scott Stanchfield
1997-05-29  0:00                                   ` Kaz Kylheku
1997-05-30  0:00                                     ` Robert Dewar
1997-05-30  0:00                                       ` John G. Volan
1997-05-30  0:00                                   ` Lord Shaman
1997-05-27  0:00                               ` Dan Evens
1997-05-27  0:00                                 ` Scott Stanchfield
1997-05-28  0:00                             ` Alan Bowler
1997-05-29  0:00                               ` Jon S Anthony
1997-05-23  0:00                         ` Software Engineering is not a hoax... (was Re: Any research putting c above ada?) Robert I. Eachus
1997-05-25  0:00                           ` Jon S Anthony
1997-05-24  0:00                         ` W. Wesley Groleau (Wes)
1997-05-24  0:00                         ` Fritz W Feuerbacher
1997-05-24  0:00                       ` Robert Dewar
1997-06-12  0:00                         ` Software Engineering is not a hoax Keith Shillington
1997-06-12  0:00                           ` Kaz Kylheku
1997-06-17  0:00                           ` brucemo
1997-06-17  0:00                             ` Richard Turner
1997-06-17  0:00                               ` Spam Hater
1997-06-17  0:00                                 ` Richard Turner
1997-06-12  0:00                   ` Ralph Silverman
     [not found]                   ` <33859489.7FB8@spam.inno <5nplh1$276@nntp.seflin.org>
1997-06-13  0:00                     ` Paul Mesken
1997-06-13  0:00                     ` Michael Tippach
1997-05-20  0:00   ` Any research putting c above ada? Les Hazlewood
1997-05-20  0:00     ` Newsthread integrity Nick Roberts
1997-05-20  0:00     ` Any research putting c above ada? Jason A Cunningham
1997-05-21  0:00       ` Stephan Wilms
1997-05-21  0:00         ` Jason A Cunningham
1997-05-16  0:00 ` T Wheeley
1997-05-16  0:00   ` Jon S Anthony
  -- strict thread matches above, loose matches on Subject: below --
1997-05-26  0:00 Software Engineering and Dreamers tmoran
1997-05-26  0:00 tmoran
1997-05-27  0:00 Marin David Condic, 561.796.8997, M/S 731-93
1997-05-28  0:00 Marin David Condic, 561.796.8997, M/S 731-93
1997-05-29  0:00 Fritz W Feuerbacher
1997-05-30  0:00 ` Kevin Cline
1997-05-30  0:00   ` system
1997-05-31  0:00     ` Kevin Cline
1997-05-31  0:00     ` Lawrence Kirby
1997-06-02  0:00       ` Philip Brashear
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