Software Engineering; A Holistic View

This book offers an integrated and pragmatic overview of software engineering. Intended as a text for an upper-class undergraduate or first-year graduate course in software engineering, it should be of interest to practitioners as well. It gives students a basic grounding in the process of software development and teaches them how a disciplined application of methods and tools can improve the quality and productivity of projects such as information systems, software tools, and engineering analyses. The material is organized around three themes: software engineering is the discipline of implementing computer-supported solutions to real problems, the software process is one of solving, and all software solutions must be expressed as formal models. Because software engineering is presented as an evolving discipline, current practices are explained in the context of their initial goals and historical setting. As a result, the text focuses not on how things are done, but why they are done that way. All illustrations are drawn from a central case study--the development of a software configuration management system. The book contains exercises and an extended reading list.

"Provides a framework that clarifies the various software engineering techniques and tools and their interrelationships. . . .The material covered and the clear and easy-to-read style makes this book an extremely well-written introduction in software engineering methods. In addition, it provides practitioners an excellent means to understand the different techniques nowadays available and how these fit in their problem-solving activity." --Meth. Inform. Med"Blum provides a comprehensive summary of the state of the art of the practice in software engineering. Well written and organized; supplies ample material for understanding the intricacies of the process. Up to date with modern practices, it should be required reading for anyone entering the working world of software engineering." --Choice"Blum reveals his long experience in software engineering by placing the subject in its historical context. He describes the origin of the term 'bug' and even includes a photograph of the original moth that caused a computer failure. He presents classic work such as Dijkstra's proof of the greatest common divisor algorithm and Parnas' original paper on information hiding." --The Times Higher Education Supplement"Among the books I had a chance to see, this is the most systematic and best written one. For everybody who wants to go beyond the buzzwords and learn about underlying principles and their historic development, this book is the best one to read. Software engineering is presented as a discipline based on principles and ties together by underlying concerns, a discipline which is very much integrated and alive. It is systematically explored, and individual methods, tools. and techniques are presented as pieces fitting into that 'larger context.' An excellent text for a graduate course in software engineering, with exercises for each section" --ComputerA radical and refreshing departure from most treatments of software engineering as a broad topic....The writing is highly readable, sometimes humorous, and never dry. The topics covered are relevant and current, the content is technically correct, and the presentation is excellent....In summary, the book is sound pedagogy, suitable for upper level undergraduate and early graduate courses; it contrasts existing methods in a way that will aid practitioners in selecting from among competing methods, and it discusses industrial practices, which will help academicians better understand industry's challenges. Among the recent flood of software engineering texts, I recommend that you consider this one seriously. I did and found it a winner." --IEEE Software "Provides a framework that clarifies the various software engineering techniques and tools and their interrelationships. . . .The material covered and the clear and easy-to-read style makes this book an extremely well-written introduction in software engineering methods. In addition, it provides practitioners an excellent means to understand the different techniques nowadays available and how these fit in their problem-solving activity." --Meth. Inform. Med "Blum provides a comprehensive summary of the state of the art of the practice in software engineering. Well written and organized; supplies ample material for understanding the intricacies of the process. Up to date with modern practices, it should be required reading for anyone entering the working world of software engineering." --Choice "Blum reveals his long experience in software engineering by placing the subject in its historical context. He describes the origin of the term 'bug' and even includes a photograph of the original moth that caused a computer failure. He presents classic work such as Dijkstra's proof of the greatest common divisor algorithm and Parnas' original paper on information hiding." --The Times Higher Education Supplement "Among the books I had a chance to see, this is the most systematic and best written one. For everybody who wants to go beyond the buzzwords and learn about underlying principles and their historic development, this book is the best one to read. Software engineering is presented as a discipline based on principles and ties together by underlying concerns, a discipline which is very much integrated and alive. It is systematically explored, and individual methods, tools. andtechniques are presented as pieces fitting into that 'larger context.' An excellent text for a graduate course in software engineering, with exercises for each section" --Computer A radical and refreshing departure from most treatments of software engineering as a broad topic....The writing is highly readable, sometimes humorous, and never dry. The topics covered are relevant and current, the content is technically correct, and the presentation is excellent....In summary, the book is sound pedagogy, suitable for upper level undergraduate and early graduate courses; it contrasts existing methods in a way that will aid practitioners in selecting from among competing methods, and it discusses industrial practices, which will help academicians better understand industry's challenges. Among the recent flood of software engineering texts, I recommend that you consider this one seriously. I did and found it a winner." --IEEE Software "Provides a framework that clarifies the various software engineering techniques and tools and their interrelationships. . . .The material covered and the clear and easy-to-read style makes this book an extremely well-written introduction in software engineering methods. In addition, it provides practitioners an excellent means to understand the different techniques nowadays available and how these fit in their problem-solving activity." --Meth. Inform. Med "Blum provides a comprehensive summary of the state of the art of the practice in software engineering. Well written and organized; supplies ample material for understanding the intricacies of the process. Up to date with modern practices, it should be required reading for anyone entering the working world of software engineering." --Choice "Blum reveals his long experience in software engineering by placing the subject in its historical context. He describes the origin of the term 'bug' and even includes a photograph of the original moth that caused a computer failure. He presents classic work such as Dijkstra's proof of the greatest common divisor algorithm and Parnas' original paper on information hiding." --The Times Higher Education Supplement "Among the books I had a chance to see, this is the most systematic and best written one. For everybody who wants to go beyond the buzzwords and learn about underlying principles and their historic development, this book is the best one to read. Software engineering is presented as a discipline based on principles and ties together by underlying concerns, a discipline which is very much integrated and alive. It issystematically explored, and individual methods, tools. and techniques are presented as pieces fitting into that 'larger context.' An excellent text for a graduate course in software engineering, with exercises for each section" --Computer A radical and refreshing departure from most treatments of software engineering as a broad topic....The writing is highly readable, sometimes humorous, and never dry. The topics covered are relevant and current, the content is technically correct, and the presentation is excellent....In summary, the book is sound pedagogy, suitable for upper level undergraduate and early graduate courses; it contrasts existing methods in a way that will aid practitioners in selecting from among competing methods, and it discusses industrial practices, which will help academicians better understand industry's challenges. Among the recent flood of software engineering texts, I recommend that you consider this one seriously. I did and found it a winner." --IEEE Software "Provides a framework that clarifies the various software engineering techniques and tools and their interrelationships. . . .The material covered and the clear and easy-to-read style makes this book an extremely well-written introduction in software engineering methods. In addition, it providespractitioners an excellent means to understand the different techniques nowadays available and how these fit in their problem-solving activity." --Meth. Inform. Med"Blum provides a comprehensive summary of the state of the art of the practice in software engineering. Well written and organized; supplies ample material for understanding the intricacies of the process. Up to date with modern practices, it should be required reading for anyone entering theworking world of software engineering." --Choice"Blum reveals his long experience in software engineering by placing the subject in its historical context. He describes the origin of the term 'bug' and even includes a photograph of the original moth that caused a computer failure. He presents classic work such as Dijkstra's proof of thegreatest common divisor algorithm and Parnas' original paper on information hiding." --The Times Higher Education Supplement"Among the books I had a chance to see, this is the most systematic and best written one. For everybody who wants to go beyond the buzzwords and learn about underlying principles and their historic development, this book is the best one to read. Software engineering is presented as a disciplinebased on principles and ties together by underlying concerns, a discipline which is very much integrated and alive. It is systematically explored, and individual methods, tools. and techniques are presented as pieces fitting into that 'larger context.' An excellent text for a graduate course insoftware engineering, with exercises for each section" --ComputerA radical and refreshing departure from most treatments of software engineering as a broad topic....The writing is highly readable, sometimes humorous, and never dry. The topics covered are relevant and current, the content is technically correct, and the presentation is excellent....In summary, the book is sound pedagogy, suitable for upper level undergraduate and early graduate courses; it contrasts existing methods in a way that will aid practitioners in selecting from among competing methods, and it discusses industrial practices, which will help academicians better understandindustry's challenges. Among the recent flood of software engineering texts, I recommend that you consider this one seriously. I did and found it a winner." --IEEE Software