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Feature-Based Development: The Lasagne and the Linguini
From BLOG@CACM

Feature-Based Development: The Lasagne and the Linguini

Agile authors tell us that we can build systems one feature at a time. Can we?

What Is Your Research Culture? Part 3: The Web of Science
From BLOG@CACM

What Is Your Research Culture? Part 3: The Web of Science

Experienced institutions know that the Web of Science is inapplicable to the evaluation of computer science research and researchers. It is time that others learned...

Computing: Art, Magic, Science
From BLOG@CACM

Computing: Art, Magic, Science

A new EdX MOOC emphasizes abstractions, Design by Contract and software quality.

Typing Without Typing
From BLOG@CACM

Typing Without Typing

Type inference made practical for an object-oriented/functional programming language.

The Good, the Hype and the ­Ugly
From BLOG@CACM

The Good, the Hype and the ­Ugly

One of the most dazzling changes to the software development world in the past decade has been the spread of agile methods.

Run-Time Assertions: What Are You Waiting For?
From BLOG@CACM

Run-Time Assertions: What Are You Waiting For?

Would Design by Contract have avoided Heartbleed?

Those Who Say Code Does Not Matter
From BLOG@CACM

Those Who Say Code Does Not Matter

Often, you will be told programming languages do not matter much. It is a pretty general rule that people arguing language does not matter are simply trying...

Towards Empirical Answers to the Core Problems of Software Engineering
From BLOG@CACM

Towards Empirical Answers to the Core Problems of Software Engineering

Can empirical research give us an answer to the big problems?

Apocalypse No! (Part 2)
From BLOG@CACM

Apocalypse No! (Part 2)

Catastrophism and reliance on dubious studies have no place in serious discussions of software engineering.

Apocalypse No! (Part 1)
From BLOG@CACM

Apocalypse No! (Part 1)

The state of software is soooooo terrible!

Doing It Right or Doing It Over?
From BLOG@CACM

Doing It Right or Doing It Over?

Not everyone hits on America, who for India sets sail.

Software Engineering in the Venice of the North
From BLOG@CACM

Software Engineering in the Venice of the North

ESEC-FSE 2013 (in Saint Petersburg,, 18-26 August) is the place to be for software engineering in 2013.

A Fundamental Duality of Software Engineering
From BLOG@CACM

A Fundamental Duality of Software Engineering

What is the value of that function for x = 6?

From BLOG@CACM

John McCarthy

The contributions and personality of John McCarthy, one of the pioneers of computer science.

The Modes and Uses of Scientific Publication
From BLOG@CACM

The Modes and Uses of Scientific Publication

Publication is about helping the advancement of humankind. Let us take this basis for granted and look at the other, possibly less glamorous aspects. Publication...

Long Live Incremental Research!
From BLOG@CACM

Long Live Incremental Research!

“Break through!” clamor the funding agencies, which scorn “incremental” research. Sure, every human being needs hype; in truth, though, almost all research—good...

What 'Beginning' Students Already Know: The Evidence
From BLOG@CACM

What 'Beginning' Students Already Know: The Evidence

Detailed data collection at ETH Zurich over eight years shows what entering computer science students already know in computer usage and programming.

Again: The One Sure Way to Advance Software Engineering
From BLOG@CACM

Again: The One Sure Way to Advance Software Engineering

There is one proven way to improve the state of software, following the the airline industry's spectacular improvements of safety. The IT industry ignores it. Why...

Watts Humphrey: In Honor of a Pioneer
From BLOG@CACM

Watts Humphrey: In Honor of a Pioneer

Watts Humphrey left us a few weeks ago. His contributions to professional software engineering have been essential.

Lessons Learned, or Not
From BLOG@CACM

Lessons Learned, or Not

Many of the techniques for better programming have been there for a long time.
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