Re: Difference between Spec and Code?

Thread View: comp.specification

2 messages

[T] Back to Threads [V] Tree View [G] Group Articles

2 total messages Started by Jacob L. Cybulski Wed, 07 Nov 1990 00:16

#225

Author: Jacob L. Cybulski
Date: Wed, 07 Nov 1990 00:16

29 lines
1749 bytes

Well, a number of people stressed the importance of WHAT-type of issues
in program specifications and HOWs of the programs themselves. I am sure
that this approach is quite valid for the traditional software process,
what I am not certain of if it is valid for all types of applications.

If it were correct to assume that a SPECIFICATION if a collection of
constraints to be met by a series of statements constituting our
PROGRAM then the questions of WHAT and HOW become quite irrelevant,
since the constraints and limitations imposed by our specs may apply
to both procedural and declarative aspects of our development process.

According to our definition, for certain classes of programming languages,
e.g. logic or constraint programming languages, SPECIFICATIONS then become
partially refined PROGRAMS, to further this statement, once the SPEC is
developed in sufficient detail, our development environment, as consisting of
the set of programming heuristics, may actually provide the missing details
automatically, thus resulting in executable specifications.

Jacob L. Cybulski

Amdahl Australian Intelligent Tools Program
Department of Computer Science
La Trobe University
Bundoora, Vic 3083, Australia

Phone: +613 479 1270
Fax:   +613 470 4915
Telex: AA 33143
EMail: jacob@latcs1.oz.au

Re: Difference between Spec and Code?

#230

Author: Lindsay Groves
Date: Thu, 08 Nov 1990 03:58

46 lines
2838 bytes

In article <9169@latcs1.oz.au>, jacob@latcs1.oz.au (Jacob L. Cybulski) writes:
|> ...
|> If it were correct to assume that a SPECIFICATION if a collection of
|> constraints to be met by a series of statements constituting our
|> PROGRAM then the questions of WHAT and HOW become quite irrelevant,
|> since the constraints and limitations imposed by our specs may apply
|> to both procedural and declarative aspects of our development process.

I don't understand what you are getting at -- could you elaborate?

|> According to our definition, for certain classes of programming languages,
|> e.g. logic or constraint programming languages, SPECIFICATIONS then become
|> partially refined PROGRAMS, to further this statement, once the SPEC is
|> developed in sufficient detail, our development environment, as
|> consisting of
|> the set of programming heuristics, may actually provide the missing
|> details
|> automatically, thus resulting in executable specifications.

My understanding of the notion of refinement is that you start with some
general (perhaps imprecise) description of what you are trying to do (ie
WHAT) and gradually "refine" it by adding more details, making decisions
about data structures, algorithms etc. (ie HOW).  I don't see that this
makes the distinction between WHAT and HOW irrelevant.  If you mean
something else by partially refined, please explain.

Using a set of heuristics to provide the missing details (or, at least,
A VERSION OF THE MISSING DETAILS) is better than constraining
specifications to make them executable, but doesn't provide a complete
solution (that is to say, one that I would be satisfied with) to the
problem of software development, as I might want to use data structures
and algorithms other than the ones provided by these heuristics.

|> Jacob L. Cybulski
|> 
|> Amdahl Australian Intelligent Tools Program
|> Department of Computer Science
|> La Trobe University
|> Bundoora, Vic 3083, Australia

I would be interested to hear what the "Amdahl Australian Intelligent
Tools Program" is and what it does.  Would you care to post a few
details?

Lindsay

Thread Navigation

This is a paginated view of messages in the thread with full content displayed inline.

Messages are displayed in chronological order, with the original post highlighted in green.

Use pagination controls to navigate through all messages in large threads.

Back to All Threads