Papers on akos.ma

Using Phonegap as a Mobile App Platform

Mon, 04 Nov 2013 00:00:00 +0100

This report will provide an overview of the challenges and opportunities brought by PhoneGap when building cross-platform mobile applications for touchscreen smartphones and tablets.

On the Importance of Yerba Mate in the Software Development Process

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0100

This paper will highlight the results of an extensive research conducted since the mid 90’s, on the effects of the consumption of beverages based in the plant known as Ilex paraguariensis, in the framework of software development process activities in South America and some small parts of Europe.

Dangers of Prototyping

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0200

Frederick P. Brooks Jr. has written about prototypes, saying that they are not only useful but strictly fundamental pieces of the overall software process, as in many other engineering activities. He gives the example of a pilot chemical plant, prepared to process 10'000 units per day instead of the 2 million units a day that the final plant would have to handle, in order to demonstrate the feasibility and uncover some unforeseen problems.

Saving a Failing Project

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0200

In 2006 I had the opportunity to work as a “project leader” into a small failing project. Three developers were working in an ad hoc basis, creating a software application for an important client (a government office in Lausanne), without any kind of detailed formal specification, without any kind of design documentation, and with strong pressure from the management to release the application, even if not in an usable state. Needless to say, the project was also beyond budget.

Adding Manpower

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0200

Published in 1975, “The Mythical Man-Month” is considered an all-time classic in the software engineering field. The book author, Frederick P. Brooks Jr., used his experience as the project manager of the IBM System/360 and its software, the Operating System/360, to explain a common set of problem patterns, applicable to other software projects as well.

Certification

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0200

While several other professions have a long, established and standard procedure of certification, the title “software engineer” is applied to both self-made developers, turned into experts of some technique, or to people with PhD degrees, and a long history of both academic and professional achievements.

Challenges for Software Engineers

Sun, 03 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0200

Software Engineering is the youngest of all the professions, being born around 50 years ago, but since then it has been continually improved. Practicers have fiercely debated upon it through the years, given the extremely fast pace of the innovations in the field, and the extremely difficult and inherently dynamic nature of software. Many trends have appeared and vanished, and many others will come.

A Watch - from an OOP Perspective

Sun, 13 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0200

A watch might be one of the most common types of objects, but it remains also one of the earliest pieces of human craftmanship to show an extreme level of complexity, all contained in a small amount of space. Since the late 1700s, artisan watchmakers in Switzerland and elsewhere have shown their pride and skills creating watches called “Grande Complications”, containing thousands of individual parts and performing incredible functions:

Total Quality Management and Software

Tue, 18 Dec 2007 00:00:00 +0100

Total Quality Management is one of the founding pillars of modern mass-production economy, of which the software industry is by far the youngest (and most rebel) child. This article will provide a short discussion on some TQM principles and about their applicability to software projects.

Factors of Software Project Quality

Sun, 16 Dec 2007 00:00:00 +0100

I strongly consider that the following three items are of high relevance for software project quality: