[Historical Note: Although this is FASE Volume 4, Number 1, it is FASE #20.] Forum for Academic Software Engineering Volume 4, Number 1, Tue Jan 11 16:25:23 CST 1994 (FASE # 19) Topics: Software Quality Debates: Request for materials Schools offering software engineering programs SIGCSE '94 Technical Symposium upcoming hearings on software patents (Fed. Reg. 12/20/93) A------------------------------------------------------- From: ravenel@riker.cs.colorado.edu (Ruth Ravenel) Subject: Software Quality Debates: Request for materials 3 Impossible Thoughts Before Breakfast In Through The Looking Glass, I believe it's the Red Queen who says to Alice, "I always think three impossible thoughts before breakfast." I apparently thought three nearly impossible thoughts this summer without realizing it. I have been putting together some debates and panels for an academic track on the Friday of the Software Quality Debates in San Diego, January 25 - 28. Many in industry believe that academia's abilities to produce capable software engineers OR produce high quality software is extremely suspect. I am looking for participation from kindred souls who believe that software quality begins in academia -- by teaching and by example -- and that there is still room for improvement both in how we teach sw eng AND how we in academia develop software (What?? Physicians, heal ourselves????) Can you help? The Software Quality Debates usually attract reps from government and government contractors (mostly military). They are trying to broaden the participation from academia. In the past, the sessions have been structured in a classic debate format with excellent speakers and lots of rabble-rousing debate-style comments. (There's even a timer who cuts off the speaker if he/she runs overtime -- tends to encourage speakers to be prepared!) My feeling has been that the debate format has been able to get to the heart of a matter better than the traditional conference papers. There will be three sessions on software quality in academia dealing with these aspects: 1. Teaching software in a way that incorporates quality-supportive methodologies throughout the undergraduate curriculum Jeff Schlimmer from Washington State will be presenting their innovative program where students work in teams using SW Eng principles from the freshman year until graduation. * If you have an innovative approach (an improvement over the typical * model of freshman "Hacking for CS Majors 101" ), I'd love to include * you in this section. Otherwise, we'll use Schlimmer's model as * a "seed paper" to generate discussion on what ought to be. 2. Current computer science research related to software quality (metrics, reliability engineering, requirements extraction, testing, etc.) John Munson (University of West Florida) will be speaking on design reliability and metrics. Dan Berry (Software Engineering Institute and the Technion,Haifa) will speak on improvements in requirements extraction. * I'd like one more. I'm trying to provide convincing evidence that * academia is doing something of use to industry -- not just contributing * to the software quality problems. 3. The quality of software developed in academia to support other research. * I want a debate here -- "Resolved: It is possible to develop * software of high quality while developing software for research * purposes." So far, I have one person who is willing * to take the position that it seems most academicians believe but * are unwilling to admit, namely that it is NOT possible. * (You don't have to *believe* it to argue the position in a debate!) * If you think your somewhat rusty debating skills could be polished up for * this, I'd love to hear from you. In particular, I'd like to have someone * take the "pro" position. I can't offer a free ride but I can give free conference admission. And any presentation materials will be included in the proceedings. It *is* in San Diego in January which is inherently attractive. Would you be willing to participate? If you want more info on the rest of the conference before you decide, I'll be glad to fax info to you. If yes, THANKS and please send me info re which Item is of interest and what you would propose to do. If not, can you suggest someone else? Thanks very much for your time, Ruth Ravenel ravenel@boulder.colorado.edu 303-492-8369 p.s. Barry Boehm tells me he is going to be the keynote speaker at this event. A------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Schools offering software engineering programs From: Gary Ford This list is not derived from a comprehensive data collection effort, but from what people tell me. Please send corrections and new information to Gary Ford (ford@sei.cmu.edu). Thanks. Software Engineering Program Census [names in brackets represent programs reportedly under development] BS in Software Engineering [Howard University] [Rochester Institute of Technology] [University of Houston, Clear Lake] BS in a software-related area Oregon Institute of Technology (Software Engineering Technology) St. Louis University/Parks College (Computer Software Systems) BS in Computer Science with an unnamed SE concentration Florida Institute of Technology Grambling State University Rochester Institute of Technology University of West Florida MS in Software Engineering Andrews University Colorado Technical College [Drexel University] Georgia Institute of Technology [Howard University] Imperial College of Science and Technology Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey [Kansas State University] [Manhattan College] Monmouth College National Technological University National University National University of Singapore [North Carolina A&T University] Norwegian Institute of Technology [Pace University] Queen's University in Kingston Southern Methodist University University of Connecticut University of Houston, Clear Lake University of Pittsburgh University of Scranton University of Stirling [Western Michigan University] Software Engineering Programs MS in a software-related area Air Force Institute of Technology (Software Systems Management) Boston University (Systems Engineering) George Mason University (Software Systems Engineering) Rochester Institute of Technology (Software Development and Management) [University of Colorado at Colorado Springs] (Software Systems Engineering) University of New Haven (Application Software; Systems Software) MS in Computer Science with a named SE option or track Air Force Institute of Technology California State University, Sacramento East Tennessee State University Florida Atlantic University Florida Institute of Technology George Washington University Marist College Portland State University San Jose State University University of Alaska at Fairbanks University of Iowa [University of Southern California] University of West Florida MS in Computer Science with an unnamed SE concentration Arizona State University Mississippi State University Pace University Purdue University [Troy State University in Montgomery] University of Florida University of Maryland University of Tennessee Master of Software Engineering (MSE) Carnegie Mellon University Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Seattle University {Wang Institute of Graduate Studies} Master of a software-related area Miami University (Master of Systems Analysis) Texas Christian University (Master of Software Design and Development) University of Colorado (Master of Engineering in Software Engineering) University of St. Thomas (Master of Software Design and Development) Widener University (Master of Engineering in Computer and Software Engineering) Master of Computer Science with a named SE option or track Wichita State University PhD in Software Engineering University of Connecticut PhD in Computer Science with an unnamed SE concentration Arizona State University Purdue University University of Florida University of Maryland Master of Arts in Computer Systems and Software Engineering Central Connecticut State University Certificate in Software Systems Engineering George Mason University Master of Science in Computer Information Systems (SE emphasis) Grand Valley State University Certificate in Software Engineering New York University [Troy State University in Montgomery] University of Colorado at Colorado Springs Associate of Engineering in Software Engineering Technology Oregon Institute of Technology Certificate, Advanced Studies in Software Engineering Santa Clara University MS in Computer Engineering, SE track University of Central Florida (title unknown; 2 year undergraduate program) University of Karlskrona/Ronneby A------------------------------------------------------- From: sigcse94@tiger.vill.edu (Robert Beck) Subject: SIGCSE '94 Technical Symposium In this electronic age, information about the SIGCSE '94 Technical Symposium, is available electronically. You can retrieve extensive information about SIGCSE '94 by anonymous ftp from tiger.vill.edu in the directory sigcse94. This information includes the complete ASCII text of the symposium program, hotel and travel information, forms for registration, details on workshops, and descriptions of local attractions. Information about CSC '94 is available by anonymous ftp from ftp.cs.utexas.edu in the directory pub/csc94 The CSC '94 Advance Program was mailed before Christmas. The SIGCSE '94 Program will be mailed about January 7. Hope to see you in Phoenix. Robert Beck SIGCSE '94 Symposium Chair sigcse94@vill.edu (610) 519-7307 A------------------------------------------------------- From: Paul Robinson Subject: upcoming hearings on software patents (Fed. Reg. 12/20/93) [LONG] --587212973-451251545-757068567:#28633 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII From: Paul Robinson Organization: Tansin A. Darcos & Company, Silver Spring, MD USA ----- Some people are concerned about patents for software; here's your chance to be heard on the matter, either in person or via E-Mail. --- Paul Robinson - Paul@TDR.COM Voted "Largest Polluter of the (IETF) list" by Randy Bush ----- The following Automatic Fortune Cookie was selected only for this message: Jesus Saves, Moses Invests, But only Buddha pays Dividends. --587212973-451251545-757068567:#28633 Content-Type: APPLICATION/octet-stream; name=sm1 Content-ID: Content-Description: Subject: upcoming hearings on software patents (Fed. Reg. 12/20/93) [LONG] [Federal Register, Vol. 58, No. 242, Monday, December 20, 1993, pp. 66347-66353] DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Patent and Trademark Office Docket #: 931222-3322 Notice of Public Hearings and Request for Comments on Patent Protection for Software-Related Inventions AGENCY: Patent and Trademark Office, Department of Commerce ACTION: Notice of hearings and request for public comments SUMMARY: The Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) is interested in obtaining public input on issues associated with the patenting of software-related inventions. Interested members of the public are invited to testify at public hearings and to present written comments on any of the topics outlined in the supplementary information section of this notice. DATES: Public hearings will be held on January 26-27, 1994, at the San Jose Convention Center, 408 Almaden Avenue, San Jose, California, and on February 10-11, 1994, at the Crystal Forum in Arlington, Virginia. Those wishing to present oral testimony at any of the hearings must request an opportunity to do so no later than five days before the date of the hearing at which they wish to testify. Written comments on the topics presented in the supplementary information section of this notice should be received by the PTO on or before March 15, 1994. ADDRESSES: Those interested in presenting written comments on the topics presented in the supplementary information, or any other related topics, should address their comments to the Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks, marked to the attention of Jeff Kushan. Comments submitted by mail should be sent to Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks, Box 4, Patent and Trademark Office, Washington, DC 20231. Comments may also be submitted by telefax at (703) 305-8885 and by electronic mail through the Internet to comments-software@uspto.gov. Written comments should include the following information: - name and affiliation of the individual responding; - an indication of whether comments offered represent views of the individual's organization or are the respondent's personal views; and - if applicable, the nature of the respondent's organization, including the size, type of organization (e.g., business, trade group, university, non-profit organization) and principal areas of business or software development activity. Parties offering testimony or written comments are asked to provide their comments in machine readable format in one of the following file formats: ASCII text, WordPerfect for DOS version 4.2 or 5.x, WordPerfect for Windows version 5.x, Word for Windows version 1.0 or 2.0, Word for DOS version 5.0, Word for Macintosh version 3.0, 4.0 or 5.x, or WordPerfect for Macintosh version 2.x. Persons wishing to testify must notify Jeff Kushan no later than five (5) days before the date of the hearing at which they wish to testify. Mr. Kushan can be reached by mail sent to his attention addressed to the Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks, Box 4, Washington, DC 20231; by phone at (703) 305-9300; or by telefax at (703) 305-8885. No requests for presenting oral testimony will be accepted through electronic mail. Written comments and transcripts of the hearings will be available for public inspection no later than March 30, 1994, in Room 902 of Crystal Park Two, 2121 Crystal Drive, Arlington, Virginia. In addition, transcripts of the hearings and comments provided in machine readable format will be available after March 16, 1994, through anonymous file transfer protocol (ftp) via the Internet (address: comments.uspto.gov), and will be available for Wide Area Information Server (WAIS) searching after March 30, 1994. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeff Kushan by telephone at (703) 305-9300, by fax at (703) 305-8885, by electronic mail at kushan@uspto.gov, or by mail marked to his attention addressed to the Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks, Box 4, Washington, DC 20231. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION [ED: I've deleted about 700 lines of detailed supplementary information about software patent issues. If you would like to receive this information in its entirety, please let me know (fase-request@d.umn.edu) and I will send it to you.] E------------------------------------------------------------------- FASE Volume 4 Number 1 (FASE # 19) Send newsletter articles to fase-submit@d.umn.edu or fase@d.umn.edu Send requests to add, delete, or modify a subscription to fase-request@d.umn.edu Send problem reports, returned mail, or other correspondence about this newsletter to fase-owner@d.umn.edu or kpierce@d.umn.edu Keith Pierce, Editor Laurie Werth, Advisory Committee Department of Computer Science Dept. of Computer Science University of Minnesota, Duluth Taylor Hall 2.124 Duluth, MN 55812-2496 University of Texas at Austin Telephone: (218) 726-7194 Austin, Texas 78712 Fax: (218) 726-6360 Telephone: (512) 471-9535 Email: kpierce@d.umn.edu Fax: (512)471-8885 Email: lwerth@cs.utexas.edu