- Email: [email protected]
Structured programming self instruction course
Teach yourself prog~mmiug Structurd Preaching
Self Iwruction Course by Dr Reinhold Thumer. Published by Pitman. 234~. $5.95.
Question: What is the main aim of structured programming? Is it l
l
to find logic errors easily and correct them quickly? to avoid errors from the start?
Answer: the second.
So now you know the aim of structured programming (SP), all you need is the secret of what SP is. Studying this book will give you a thorough grounding in the methodology of SP, starting with the basic elements of program control (sequence, selection and iteration) up to writing Pseudocode solutions to problems and finally converting the Pseu-
docode into a programming language. The ring-binder style of the book means that it lies flat when opened; since it is intended that you use it as a textbook and write down answers to the frequent questions this makes it very easy and practical to use. Of course this alone would be of little value were it not also easy to read. Fortunately it is well written (and, one might add, well translated) and the combination works well. A new design for flow charts is introduced, called structograms, see Figure 1. The boxes, lines and IOOPS of the traditional flowchart form are replaced with structural blocks, placed adjacent to one another, but still follow~g the top-downwards convention. It is claimed that structograms are far superior to flowcharts for pictorial representation, particularly
Figure 1. conn@tt~onal fIowCbrt wws smtcto@‘umfor nesting. It is certainly a more compact method, and one could no doubt become adept at using this method. Since it is possible to pay upwards of several hundred pounds for courses in advanced programming and analysis techniques, and this book is designed to be read in one day (although I would suggest two days might be more realistic) it is very good value for money. DAVID ALBURY
Essentials in softwaredevelopment The ABCs of Depeioping Software by Safe D Sofhy. Publ~~d by The ABC Press of Silicon Vulva. fll.50. f16pp.
The task of writing a program, or suite of programs, for a large operation is not the province of one or two programmers. An entire team works on the job, and this entails a considerable amount of planning and coordination to ensure that the individual components are ~plemented efficiently and effectively. Most of this planning involves the production of schedules and innumerable lists. In fact the commitment to documentation is so great that IBM is the world’s second largest publisher after the US Government. There are two main governing factors behind any major software project - the schedule and the budget. Nearly all problems on new projects can be identified with one or both of
44
these factors, and this book attempts to identify the various stages of such a project. Topics such as ‘The development plan’, and ‘The computer program’, ‘Integration’ and ‘Test plan ’ are given a chapter each in which the essentials are outlined. The subtitle of the book is A primer on essentials of sofreoare development,
and this gives an idea of the level of advice that it offers. It is not an indepth manual of development; rather it is intended to give an overview of the requirements of a software engineering team. Increasing complexity generates more and more rules and standards to which people are expected to adhere. Discipline in such matters assumes a greater importance, and it is necessary that everyone involved knows what his or her role is. There is nothing worse than being drafted onto a design team without even knowing what to expect or what
is expected of one. By providing this overall view and background knowledge the book is invaluable. It is well written and presented and therefore easy to understand. The few diagrams are straightforward and uncomplicated, while the cartoons help to break up the text without becoming a distraction. Most chapters that concern some form of written document of a project contain a sample lis~ayout, and there are 10 appendices of ‘Tables of contents’ taken from the US Department of Defense. (Although this is an American-orientated publication it is still relevant to British systems.) This is the sort of book that should be in the library of any large software house, where it will be an invaluable reference book.
DAVID ALBURY
data processing
Self Iwruction Course by Dr Reinhold Thumer. Published by Pitman. 234~. $5.95.
Question: What is the main aim of structured programming? Is it l
l
to find logic errors easily and correct them quickly? to avoid errors from the start?
Answer: the second.
So now you know the aim of structured programming (SP), all you need is the secret of what SP is. Studying this book will give you a thorough grounding in the methodology of SP, starting with the basic elements of program control (sequence, selection and iteration) up to writing Pseudocode solutions to problems and finally converting the Pseu-
docode into a programming language. The ring-binder style of the book means that it lies flat when opened; since it is intended that you use it as a textbook and write down answers to the frequent questions this makes it very easy and practical to use. Of course this alone would be of little value were it not also easy to read. Fortunately it is well written (and, one might add, well translated) and the combination works well. A new design for flow charts is introduced, called structograms, see Figure 1. The boxes, lines and IOOPS of the traditional flowchart form are replaced with structural blocks, placed adjacent to one another, but still follow~g the top-downwards convention. It is claimed that structograms are far superior to flowcharts for pictorial representation, particularly
Figure 1. conn@tt~onal fIowCbrt wws smtcto@‘umfor nesting. It is certainly a more compact method, and one could no doubt become adept at using this method. Since it is possible to pay upwards of several hundred pounds for courses in advanced programming and analysis techniques, and this book is designed to be read in one day (although I would suggest two days might be more realistic) it is very good value for money. DAVID ALBURY
Essentials in softwaredevelopment The ABCs of Depeioping Software by Safe D Sofhy. Publ~~d by The ABC Press of Silicon Vulva. fll.50. f16pp.
The task of writing a program, or suite of programs, for a large operation is not the province of one or two programmers. An entire team works on the job, and this entails a considerable amount of planning and coordination to ensure that the individual components are ~plemented efficiently and effectively. Most of this planning involves the production of schedules and innumerable lists. In fact the commitment to documentation is so great that IBM is the world’s second largest publisher after the US Government. There are two main governing factors behind any major software project - the schedule and the budget. Nearly all problems on new projects can be identified with one or both of
44
these factors, and this book attempts to identify the various stages of such a project. Topics such as ‘The development plan’, and ‘The computer program’, ‘Integration’ and ‘Test plan ’ are given a chapter each in which the essentials are outlined. The subtitle of the book is A primer on essentials of sofreoare development,
and this gives an idea of the level of advice that it offers. It is not an indepth manual of development; rather it is intended to give an overview of the requirements of a software engineering team. Increasing complexity generates more and more rules and standards to which people are expected to adhere. Discipline in such matters assumes a greater importance, and it is necessary that everyone involved knows what his or her role is. There is nothing worse than being drafted onto a design team without even knowing what to expect or what
is expected of one. By providing this overall view and background knowledge the book is invaluable. It is well written and presented and therefore easy to understand. The few diagrams are straightforward and uncomplicated, while the cartoons help to break up the text without becoming a distraction. Most chapters that concern some form of written document of a project contain a sample lis~ayout, and there are 10 appendices of ‘Tables of contents’ taken from the US Department of Defense. (Although this is an American-orientated publication it is still relevant to British systems.) This is the sort of book that should be in the library of any large software house, where it will be an invaluable reference book.
DAVID ALBURY
data processing