HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: elling@eng.auburn.edu (Richard Elling)
Subject: CPU id codes (Was: Moving back the system clock)
Reply-To: elling@eng.auburn.edu
Organization: Auburn University Engineering
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1992 20:45:06 GMT

In article 7140@ampex.com, leepeng@ampex.com (Peng Lee) writes:
>  The best software license is for someone (Bill Gate) to convince 
>  the CPU maker (intel) to have one register contains a unique ID for 
>  each CPU.  (32 bits PROM programmed at the end of CPU testing cycle.) 

[un]fortunately, this would be extremely trivial to defeat... just
search for the register call and change it to something else.  Also,
the large installed base does not have ID codes already resident.

There was a discussion about this many months ago in comp.arch.  If
you are interested in more reasons why this won't work, try looking
in the comp.arch archives.

---
 Richard Elling                          Manager of Network Support
 Auburn University                       Engineering Administration
 richard.elling@eng.auburn.edu   KB4HB [44.100.0.72]  (205)844-2280

Newsgroups: comp.software-eng
From: claird@NeoSoft.com (Cameron Laird)
Subject: Re: Software Factory (was: Re: Do Software Engineers Actualy Do So Badly?)
Organization: NeoSoft Communications Services -- (713) 684-5900
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1992 20:57:04 GMT

In article <1992Oct14.001608.24321@intellistor.com> wicklund@intellistor.com (Tom Wicklund) writes:
			.
			.
			.
>Sometimes a disguised form of "not invented here", the fear of losing
>control of software by using components that somebody else is
>maintaining is also large.  For commercial products this involves what
>happens if the company fails or drops the product.  Even within an
>organization the same fears exist.
			.
			.
			.
Legitimately, but our industry is maturing enough
that some wise individuals and organizations now
have the instinct of *looking* for software from
the outside, for they realize that intelligent use
of external components will allow them to focus on
adding the value at which they're best.

I wrote "now" in the previous sentence, but, of
course, some have exercised the insight at least
since the '60s.
-- 

Cameron Laird
claird@Neosoft.com (claird%Neosoft.com@uunet.uu.net)	+1 713 267 7966
claird@litwin.com (claird%litwin.com@uunet.uu.net)  	+1 713 996 8546
Newsgroups: comp.software-eng
From: sater@tortoise.cis.ohio-state.edu (ronald patrick sater)
Subject: Need info on diagnostic software
Organization: The Ohio State University Dept. of Computer Sciences
Date: Thu, 15 Oct 1992 00:27:19 GMT


I am looking for software which will scan a IBM-PC and show or report
on the SOFTWARE as well as the hardware.  If you know of such software
please respond by e-mail to Richard.

I believe my e-mail address is sater@cis.ohio-state.edu
From: ciarfela@sigma.ece.ucsb.EDU (Paul Ciarfella)
Newsgroups: comp.software-eng
Subject: Re: Do Software Engineers Actualy Do So Badly?
Date: 13 Oct 92 17:05:38 GMT
Reply-To: ciarfela@sigma.ece.ucsb.EDU (Paul Ciarfella)
Organization: University of California

In article <BvuDKo.8pM@research.canon.oz.au>, greyham@research.canon.oz.au (Graham Stoney) writes:
|> ciarfela@sigma.ece.ucsb.EDU (Paul Ciarfella) writes:
|> >What's even worse is the attitude encountered in firmware environments
|> >when a problem is found in the target hardware.  The consensus (made by the
|> >hardware designers) is that the problem will be easy to fix in the software.
|> >Program managers are quick to agree because it can take far less time to fix
|> >the problem in software than to respin a board.
|>  ...
|> I hope that hardware-bashing isn't going to become the norm in this group;
|> An "us" vs "them" mentality isn't going to advance of software engineering one
|> iota.  
|> Graham Stoney,
|> Hardware/Software Engineer

My intention was not to bash hardware designers (although, in the context of
your reply, it looks like thats what I was doing!).  I was trying to point out
that because software is easy to change, it can be mishandled in ways which
can exacerbate the problem, such as with the increased maintenance costs 
mentioned in my original post.

Paul C



Newsgroups: comp.software-eng
From: cpcahil@virtech.uucp (Conor P. Cahill)
Subject: Re: Memory leaks
Organization: Virtual Technologies Inc.
Date: Fri, 16 Oct 1992 11:23:48 GMT

In article <1992Oct16.022435.8593@mnemosyne.cs.du.edu>, rbanksjr@nyx.cs.du.edu (Richard E. Banks Jr.) writes:
> 
> What is the definition of a memory leak as most people on the net use it?
> Thanks.

The definition of a memory leak is memory that has been allocated, is no
longer being used, and has not been freed.

There are two major reasons why this is a bad thing.  

	1. if the program runs for an extended period of time and the
	   code that is causing the leak is executed multiple times,
	   the aggregate amount of memory lost to the leak can cause
	   the program to grow to an abnormally large size and exhaust
	   all of the real memory on the system.  This is especially
	   worrisome if the system does not have that much extra 
	   memory to begin with and/or the program is being executed
	   by several people at the same time.

	2. Since a leak is a part of the allocation arena, it can cause
	   the arena to be more fragmented than it would otherwise have
	   been because the leak keeps the arena managment software from
	   combining what is essentially three data areas that are no
	   longer in use into a single larger area.  As fragementation
	   increases, the size of the program will usually increase 
	   because the program has to get new space from the OS when 
	   it needs to allocate a large chunk that could otherwise
	   have been allocated if the leak was not present.

Of course, from a software engineering point of view, a leak is also 
a bad thing because the "right" thing to do is ensure that your software
cleans up after itself.

-- 
*** SENTINEL(tm) The ultimate Debugging Environment - email for more info ***

Conor P. Cahill              (703)430-9247            cpcahil@virtech.vti.com
Virtual Technologies, Inc.  46030 Manekin Plaza          Dulles, VA 20166 
Newsgroups: comp.software-eng
From: lamaster@george.arc.nasa.gov (Hugh LaMaster -- RCS)
Subject: Re: Need software for brainstorming and problem solving.
Followup-To: comp.groupware
Keywords: brainstorming
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1992 22:17:46 GMT

[Note followup to comp.groupware.]

>>>(mention of TEAMate deleted)

Another package I have heard mention of is:

VisionQuest from CTC

Does anyone know about/has anyone used this product, and, if so, 
what do they think of it?

-- 
  Hugh LaMaster, M/S 233-9,     UUCP:      ames!lamaster
  NASA Ames Research Center     Internet:  lamaster@ames.arc.nasa.gov
  Moffett Field, CA 94035-1000  Or:        lamaster@george.arc.nasa.gov 
  Phone:  415/604-1056                     #include <usenet/std_disclaimer.h> 
Newsgroups: comp.software-eng
From: dnsurber@lescsse.jsc.nasa.gov (Douglas N. Surber)
Subject: Re: Do Software Engineers Actualy Do So Badly?
Organization: Lockheed Engineering and Sciences
Date: 13 Oct 92 18:02:06 GMT


Programmers are generally terrible at estimating the time required to 
implement something.  I usually apply a multiplier of between 4 and 10
to cover the time required for stoopid meetings, documentation, test
case generation, etc.

But the real problem is spineless management.  Over and over and over I
have seen management commit to something just to keep the customer
happy.  Usually they don't even ask development, but if they do they
don't listen if they don't like the answer.  I have seen this with
schedules, features, and requirements changes.  If they say anything at
all, it's something like, "I know this is an agressive schedule, but I
have confidence in you."  If you have so much confidence in me, why
don't you listen when I tell you it's going to take four times as long
as you have allowed?

Correct, working software costs more than anyone seems to be willing to
pay for it.  Thus the only way to get someone to pay for software is to
lie to them to get the contract/commitment/whatever, then nickel and
dime them to death with cost overruns, schedule slips, bug fixes, etc.

I believe (but don't know) that it would be cheaper to do it right the
first time, but nobody seems to be willing pay the price up front.  The
customers all seem to be looking for a free lunch.  And there is always
another contractor out there who'll tell the big lie just to get the
contract.

I'm sick to death of it, but I don't know what to do about it.

Douglas Surber
These are my opinons, not necessarily those of my employer or anyone
else.
From: wgerlt@atl.ge.com (William R Gerlt)
Newsgroups: comp.software-eng
Subject: The goal of software engineering
Date: 15 Oct 92 18:21:06 GMT
Organization: GE Aerospace, Advanced Technology Labs


Capt. Cardow raised a good question in his recent post.  What is the
goal of software engineering?  I suppose the answer varies from one
person to the next, but I'll offer my $0.02 worth.

I have to back up one level further and answer another question to
provide a context to my answer to the question posed.  What is the
goal of producing software?

My answer is goes something like this.  A user has a particular
purpose to accomplish and wants a piece of software to be the means of
accomplishing that purpose.  Our goal is to produce a piece of software
that accomplishes that user's purpose in a manner that is acceptable to
the user.

Side note:
Even at this very abstract level, we can see the roots of many of the
mistakes we make that result in our failure to accomplish our goal.  For
example, do we really have a user or do we just have a customer?  Are we
dealing with the user or the customer?  Does the user want a piece of
software?  Will that piece of software accomplish his purpose?  Is he
going to be happy with our software?  Do we know in advance what would
make him happy or unhappy? etc  These aren't the only sources of problems,
just a few that are seen at even the most simplistic level of analysis.

Back to the point:
So what is the goal of software engineering in this context?  I think
the goal is to provide a process or methodology that helps us effectively,
efficiently, consistently, and a few other -ly's achieve our goal of
producing software in the first place. 

I imagine the collective wisdom of the net can provide a bit more rigor
to my answer ;^), but hopefully I'm not too far off track.

Bill     wgerlt@atl.ge.com

These are only my personal opinions, etc, etc, blah, blah, blah
Newsgroups: comp.software-eng
From: marick@m.cs.uiuc.edu (Brian Marick)
Subject: Re: Class Testing
Organization: University of Illinois, Dept. of Comp. Sci., Urbana, IL
Date: Sun, 11 Oct 1992 16:12:40 GMT

dwwx@cbnewsk.ATT.COM (david.w.wood) writes:
[a description of cause-effect testing]

Bender and Associates (415-924-9196) sells a tool to automate the
bookkeeping of cause-effect testing.  DOS only.  I have no connection
with that company, and I've never used the tool.  I got a demo disk
from them last week, but I haven't had a chance to try it yet.


A student I worked with, Georgios Papagiannakopoulos, implemented a
form of cause-effect testing as an Emacs Lisp program.  If there's
interest, I can make it available.  His thesis describes it in more
detail:

G. D. Papagiannakopoulos. On Generating Test Cases from the Syntax
of a Specification.  M.S.  thesis, University of Illinois, 1990.

The thesis also describes generating test case templates from Bison
grammars.  (erna@cs.uiuc.edu may be able to tell you how to get UI MS
theses.  I don't know how.)

In our use of the prototype, we were somewhat unsatisfied.
Cause-effect testing prunes test cases, but still left us with rather
more test cases than we liked.  Also, it works on annotated boolean
expressions, which have a hard time describing many programs.  (Note:
a more elaborate tool like Bender's might work better.)

I use some of the cause-effect rules in my own testing, but only
occasionally.  My technique has some similarities, but a different
emphasis.


Brian Marick, marick@cs.uiuc.edu, uiucdcs!marick, marick@testing.com (pending)
Testing Foundations:  Consulting, Training, Tools.
Freeware test coverage tool:  see cs.uiuc.edu:pub/testing/GCT.README
From: kjones@luke.eecs.wsu.edu (Kent Jones - EECS)
Newsgroups: comp.software-eng
Subject: PUBLIC DOMAIN/COMMERCIAL SOFTWARE PROJECT PLAN TOOLS SURVEY RESULTS
Summary: ************************ SURVEY RESULTS ***************************
Keywords: Gantt, Pert, Project Planning etc...
Date: 16 Oct 92 17:55:01 GMT
Article-I.D.: serval.1992Oct16.175501.11946
Organization: Washington State University!

Hi,

I promised about a week ago to post the results of the survey. Well, the
response to my survey was *very* dissapointing :(. (only two people contacted
me.) I guess there must not be that many tools available to do this sort of 
stuff, or nobody is interested. Any-way here are three programs that I found 
out about so far. If you know of others, or have more info on these, please
email me the info and I will post it again next friday. When I get enough of
these I'll try to get them added to the FAQ sheet.

Thanks...  Kent Jones kjones@eecs.wsu.edu

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
---------------------------  LIST OF TOOLS  -------------------------------- 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
TOOL NAME: MacProject II 
COMPANY: Claris
MACHINE IT RUNS ON: Apple Macintosh (Model?)
OPERATING SYSTEM: 
DESCRIPTION: Project Scheduling Program which supports:
1) CPM - Critical Path Method of scheduling activities.
2) Gantt and Timeline charts.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOOL NAME: Microsoft(r) Project
COMPANY: Microsoft(r)
MACHINE IT RUNS ON: IBM PC
OPERATING SYSTEM: msdos
DESCRIPTION: Project Scheduling and Costing Program which supports:
1) CPM - Critical Path Method of scheduling activities.
2) Gantt and Timeline charts.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
TOOL NAME: Superproject Expert
COMPANY: ?
MACHINE IT RUNS ON: IBM PC and compatibles
OPERATING SYSTEM: msdos?, windows?
DESCRIPTION: ?
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: matt@bacchus.esa.OZ.AU (Matthew Atterbury)
Subject: Re: Testing (Was: Do Software Engineers Actualy Do So Badly?)
Organization: Expert Solutions Australia.
    <1992Oct13.025849.29887@sserve.cc.adfa.oz.au>
    <1992Oct13.143949.4923@nastar.uucp>
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1992 10:46:12 GMT

In article <1992Oct13.143949.4923@nastar.uucp> phardie@nastar.uucp (Pete Hardie) writes:
    :
    :
> One thing that I can say about the idea that software modules can be treated
> similarly to ICs and the like - how many different values can a function
> return, compared to an IC component?  The software has a much greater range
> of values, and this complicates the interconnection of one module to another
> greatly.  An EE knows that all his TTL components return binary signals, and
> s/he can connect the output of a NAND gate to a serial input line without
> concern for breaking the serial input line.  Not so with the return value of
> a sort procedure into the calling procedure.

    But isn't this the point? A TTL component _could_ have any
    conceivable values on its output (not just 0/+5V or whatever it
    is), but it _doesn't_ - it is considered a TTL component because
    it follows the standard. One of the goals of people who argue that
    S/W should be more like ICs is to come up with these standards.
    Brad Cox has a lot more intelligent things to say on this subject
    than I do.
-- 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Matt Atterbury [matt@bacchus.esa.oz.au]   Expert Solutions Australia, Melbourne
UUCP: ...!uunet!munnari!matt@bacchus.esa.oz.au            "klaatu barada nikto"
ARPA: ...!uunet!murtoa!bacchus.esa.oz.au!matt         "consider this a divorce"
From: sean+@andrew.cmu.edu (Sean McLinden)
Newsgroups: comp.software-eng
Subject: Wanted: TURBOCase experiences?
Date: 9 Oct 92 07:29:12 GMT
Article-I.D.: andrew.IepOJ8C00WBN42TGB=
Organization: Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA


Has anyone any experience with TURBOCase, a Mac-based CASE tool?

Thanks.

Sean McLinden
From: msm@mse.cmu.edu (Mark S McWhinney)
Newsgroups: comp.software-eng
Subject: Code size
Date: 9 Oct 92 01:50:24 GMT
Organization: CMU/SEI Master of Software Engineering Program

I need to find references to code sizes of significant projects that
show how the sizes have increased over time.  Ideally, I would like to
get the code size for the Apollo, the Space Shuttle, and the Space
Station.  Other references for MIS applications would also be very
helpful.

Thanks in advance.

Mark
From: bill@banana.fedex.com (bill daniels)
Newsgroups: comp.software-eng
Subject: Any PD/Free/Cheap Function Point Analysis Tools?
Summary: searching for a cheap way to determine usefulness
Keywords: Function Point Analysis
Date: 12 Oct 92 21:05:24 GMT
Distribution: comp
Organization: Federal Express Corp.

Does anyone know of a free or cheap Function Point Analysis Tool?  I am
not sure how beneficial this type of metric would be to my organization
and Checkpoint from SPR is kind of pricey for an experiment.  I will 
summarize if there are any responses.

bill
-- 
these ravings are in no way sanctioned by federal express corp
bill daniels                    | voice:  (901)797-6328
federal express corp            | fax:    (901)797-6388
box 727-2891, memphis, tn 38194 | email:  bill@banana.dis.fedex.com
Newsgroups: comp.software-eng
From: rigg@ssdt-tempe.sps.mot.com (Dana Rigg)
Subject: Class Testing
Reply-To: rigg@ssdt-tempe.sps.mot.com
Organization: Motorola, Inc.
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1992 16:46:09 GMT

Hello all!

I'm interested in any papers discussing class testing in C++.
Implementations or personal ideas are welcome but no random shots
please, only well thought-out plans.  I'm looking for something
formal, simple enough so that test code does not require a lot of
formal testing, and easily adaptable to numerous classes.

Please resond by email, as I don't read this newsgroup all that
frequently.

Thanks very much for you help!

Dana Rigg
Chandler, AZ.
rigg@ssdt-tempe.sps.mot.com
From: brown@vidiot.UUCP (Vidiot)
Newsgroups: comp.text
Subject: Re: Rotating troff 90 degrees?
Date: 12 Oct 92 06:53:12 GMT
Reply-To: brown@vidiot.UUCP (Vidiot)
Organization: Vidiot's Hangout

In article <1992Oct11.170038.18756@jarvis.csri.toronto.edu> acs@csri.toronto.edu (Alvin Chia-Hua Shih) writes:
<In <JJC.92Oct9114032@jclark.jclark.com> jjc@jclark.com (James Clark) writes:
<
<	[ intriguing groff macros omitted ]
<
<Alas, the system I'm on doesn't have groff.  It'll be a while before I get
<around to installing it.  Indeed, if I have to install a package myself,
<I might look at TeX some more (since it's free and has the tbl stuff?).

Are you trying to imply that groff costs you more than Tex does?  If so, you
are incorrect.

Unless I am told otherwise, how TeX works with PostScript is pretty poor.  It
doesn't work with true scalable fonts.  You are stuck with particular sizes.
It is hard to add new fonts, etc.

I'm sure that I will be corrected, but this is what I understand about TeX.

If you want true PostScript, you need groff, not TeX.  I do lots of neat stuff
with groff and PostScript, stuff that I wouldn't even dream of doing with TeX.
-- 
      harvard\                          spool.cs.wisc.edu!astroatc!vidiot!brown
Vidiot  ucbvax!uwvax..........!astroatc!vidiot!brown
      rutgers/            INTERNET:vidiot!brown%astroatc.UUCP@spool.cs.wisc.edu
                                   brown@wi.extrel.com
From: hmuelner@iicm.tu-graz.ac.at (Helmut Muelner)
Subject: Re: text hyphenation packages
Organization: IICM, Graz University of Technology, Austria
Date: 7 Oct 92 19:08:28

>>>>> On Wed, 7 Oct 1992 04:45:34 GMT, ian@billie.research.canon.oz.au (Ian Daniel) said:

-> We are developing a page layout style of application which requires  
-> hyphenation of text. [stuff deleted]

-> BTW, we are developing a standalone WYSIWYG editor, so using TeX is out of  
                                                       ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
-> the question.
   ^^^^^^^^^^^^

Why? You do not have to "use TeX", you can use the part of the source code
of TeX that implements the hyphenation algorithm.


--
--
Helmut Muelner (ue is really u-Umlaut or \"u in TeXish)
TeXpert, Information Processor, SGML Beginner, PERL Beginner,
Multilingual (linguae computerii), Hypermedia-Developer, Text Searcher,
GNU lover (except g++ on DECstations)
Surface mail: Schiessstattgasse 4a, A-8010 Graz, Austria, [Europe, Terra, Sol]
Newsgroups: comp.text
From: acs@csri.toronto.edu (Alvin Chia-Hua Shih)
Subject: Re: Rotating troff 90 degrees?
Date: 14 Oct 92 03:13:51 GMT

In <1992Oct12.112817.3127@julian.uwo.ca> creider@taptet.sscl.uwo.ca (Chet A. Creider) writes:

>In article <1992Oct11.170038.18756@jarvis.csri.toronto.edu> acs@csri.toronto.edu (Alvin Chia-Hua Shih) writes:
>>Alas, the system I'm on doesn't have groff.  It'll be a while before I get
>>around to installing it.  Indeed, if I have to install a package myself,
>>I might look at TeX some more (since it's free and has the tbl stuff?).
>>
>I don't understand the last sentence:
>	(1) groff is also free.
>	(2) TeX does not have 'the tbl stuff'.
Oops!  I somehow thought that groff was just the troff-equivalent formatter
without the tools.  I'm now aware that I'm mistaken.
>	(3) IMHO working with tables in tbl is preferable by far to
>	    working with them in LaTeX or (especially)(plain) TeX.
Friends of mine have used LaTeX tables and they didn't seem too traumatized.
:-)

However, can you suggest where I might find something like "grap"?

>Chet Creider <creider@csd.uwo.ca>

Thanks.

ACS
-- 
 ___ ___ ___ ______________________________________________________________
|   |   | __|      Democracy is not a way of getting better solutions.     |
| - | --|__ |           It's just a way to spread the blame.               |
|_|_|___|___|______________________________________________________________|
Alvin_C._Shih____________________acs@csri.utoronto.ca______________________|
Newsgroups: comp.text.frame,cmu.cs.framemaker
From: bjz@sei.cmu.edu (Barbara Zayas)
Subject: Printing with text symbols and borderrs
Organization: Software Eng. Inst.;Carnegie-Mellon U.; Pittsburgh, PA 15213   _USA_
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 1992 12:17:29 GMT


Running 3.1X on a Sun3

Is there anyway to print a file such that its text symbols
and borders appear?

Thanks.
Barbara
(bjz@sei.cmu.edu)



Barbara Zayas			Software Engineering Institute
(bjz@sei.cmu.edu)		(412) 268-6378
Newsgroups: comp.text.frame
From: khor@bnr.ca (Kyle Hor)
Subject: Excel Chart (PC)->Frame(Unix)
Reply-To: khor@bnr.ca (Kyle Hor)
Organization: Bell-Northern Research Ltd.
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 92 13:30:11 GMT

I'm trying to import(copy) a chart done in Excel on the pc into
Framemaker.
 
I'd cut & paste the chart from Excel straight into a Frame document on
the pc - no problem.   I then transfered the document (in mif) to the
unix (HP-UX) and the graphics showed up as a gray box.  What's the
right procedure ?
 
I need my document on the unix as my pc version do not have the fonts I 
need.  Any suggestions appreciated.  Thanks

............................................................................
. Kyle Hor                    .    /       / _   .  Email  khor@bnr.ca     .
. Bell-Northern Research Ltd. .   /__\  / / /_\  .  Phone  (613) 763-2488  .
. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada     .  / \  \/ /  \__  .  ESN          393-2488  .
....................................__/.....................................
................  standard disclaimer, 2 cents opinion  ....................
.............  searching forever, for the perfect solution  ................
Newsgroups: comp.text.frame