From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.4 (2020-01-24) on polar.synack.me X-Spam-Level: * X-Spam-Status: No, score=1.1 required=5.0 tests=BAYES_00,INVALID_MSGID, TO_NO_BRKTS_PCNT autolearn=no autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 X-Google-Language: ENGLISH,ASCII-7-bit X-Google-Thread: 103376,f66d11aeda114c52 X-Google-Attributes: gid103376,public From: "Marin David Condic, 561.796.8997, M/S 731-96" Subject: Re: Critique of Ariane 5 paper (finally!) Date: 1997/08/22 Message-ID: <97082209460709@psavax.pwfl.com>#1/1 X-Deja-AN: 267982483 Sender: Ada programming language Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU X-VMS-To: SMTP%"INFO-ADA@VM1.NODAK.EDU" X-VMS-Cc: CONDIC Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada Date: 1997-08-22T00:00:00+00:00 List-Id: Robert Dewar writes: >Note incidentally tha DBC seems to be a slippery character in this argument. >At one end it is a very specific technique embodied in syntax in the tools >being used, and at the other (see quoted paragraph above), it is referred >to as though it is little more than the idea of saying what components of >a program should do. > >Well of course if we take the second view, then it is certainly true that >far more programs meet this criterion, which has by now been watered down >to little more than "you should comment your programs properly". > >However, even with this watered down viewpoint, not all reliable programs >meet the criterion. From time to time, there have been people holding the >strong position that code should be self-documenting and that comments or >documentation of any kind of the code is evil, becuse it could be wrong. > >I personally think this viewpoint is ludicrous and off the wall, BUT >I would not for a moment claim that people following this viewpoint cannot >produce reliable software (I know of counter examples -- yes, they surprise >me, but the fact is that competent people can do almost anything with almost >any tools, so general rules of good practice are almost never absolute). > How about this: Build a random code generator which fills the first hundred or so words of memory with instructions. Execute those instructions. If the instructions output the string "Hello World!" once and then halt, the code has met the requirements and the image is to be saved for future executions. No DBC. No Object Oriented Design/Programming. No structured programming. No code walk-throughs. No methodology. No nothing. Yet I'd bet that a program could be constructed this way and be 100%, double-your-money-back-guaranteed reliable (Barring "Acts Of God" such as power outages! But then, that's a *hardware* reliability problem.:-) Software doesn't rot, rust or wear out, so the MTBF can be considered infinite. In other words: If you can think of only one way to solve a problem, then clearly you have not thought about it long enough. A jingoistic support of some method or technique as "the only" method or technique that can produce reliable, safe, "good" software is not particularly helpful. It also ends up insulting the folks who *do* produce reliable, safe, "good" software using other techniques as if they don't know their business. MDC Marin David Condic, Senior Computer Engineer ATT: 561.796.8997 Pratt & Whitney GESP, M/S 731-96, P.O.B. 109600 Fax: 561.796.4669 West Palm Beach, FL, 33410-9600 Internet: CONDICMA@PWFL.COM =============================================================================== "I saw a bank that said "24 Hour Banking", but I don't have that much time." -- Steven Wright ===============================================================================