Yes: A WWW Site for the Draft Ariane Critique Paper!

[geldridg@progsoc.uts.edu.au]

The discussion regarding Design by Contract in the Ariane context
has been long (and will no doubt continue for sometime yet). While
most of it has been `negative' (from the Eiffel/DBC point of view),
it does raise the profile of Design by Contract (DBC) and Bertrand
Meyer's innovative (and useful) ideas. As Bertrand Meyer stated on
Sunday these discussions are:

  ``.. in part healthy, as they force the methodologists to clarify
    their ideas, refine them, and avoid overselling..''

Hence the decision to provide a WWW version of the `Draft' Ariane
Critique paper from a pre-release `Eiffel Liberty Journal' (elj)
Sub-Site at:

   http://www.progsoc.uts.edu.au/~geldridg/eiffel/ariane/

A newsgroup posting is not the right place for a 672 line (> 80
column) posting. It is too long and its life is too short (apart
from places like DejaNews) to be useful. The paper also has many
cross-references which are easily navigated on the web.

It is hoped that the online version will facilitate a more thorough
review of the draft and ultimately a paper that supporters of both
sides (and even `fence-sitters' and the `unaware') will learn from.

Finally, behind the Ariane/DBC discussion in the Ariane Critique,
(whether you agree with it or not) there is a rare glimpse into
processes that occur within Real-Time Software Development
projects. This `glimpse' should prove useful to DBC practioners
and methodologists in appying their trade of DBC to this field.

  [ Note: I offer my own humble experience with and support for ]
  [       DBC in another post.                                  ]

It is my hope that DBC will be widely adopted and that DBC will
``surface'' as a sound ``methodological principle'' and one for
which:

   ``.. all the rhetoric in the world will not prevent its
     diffusion.'' .. Bertrand Meyer (20 Jul 97)

Geoff Eldridge

-- geldridg@progsoc.uts.edu.au

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