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We continue our investigation of configuration management tools with an in-depth look at Intersolv's PVCS. If you've come into this series late, here's a recap. We began in November 1992 […]

We continue our survey of configuration management tools this month with a look at SourceSafe v. 2.0, from North Carolina-based One Tree Software. Last month, we looked at a tool […]

Over the past few months, we've taken a look at what configuration management should offer and its historical roots in UNIX source code control and make utilities. As promised, this […]

A viewpath is used to resolve references to files. Successful configuration management requires tools other than the source code control system (SCCS) and RCS version control utilities that we looked […]

For the last two months, we've examined what configuration management is and what it could be. This month, before beginning our look at some of the various configuration management tools […]

Last month, we kicked off our look into software configuration management with an overview of some of the meta-issues confronting project managers and a conclusion that current tools and techniques […]

Configuration management, like CASE, is an integral part of a robust software-engineering environment. Everyone knows that configuration management is just a fancy name for version control, as implemented in tools […]

In business, particularly the software business, an established reputation can sometimes be a detriment for a company seeking to break out from a niche market into other areas. Case in […]

The software industry has steadily and consistently been moving toward graphical interfaces between machines and users. Some of the biggest wars being fought are between Windows and 0S/2 and, in […]

It's August, and vacation time is here. For software developers whose vacation plans do not include a computer conference in another city, I've put together the next best thing a […]

To wrap up the "CASE Series from Hell," as I have affectionately dubbed my multitool, multi-installment, multiheadache series on DOS-based CASE tools, I decided the last word should belong to […]

Warren Keuffel Bug or defect? Programmer or engineer? These issues are driving the debate about defect-prevention methods that are becoming increasingly familiar to the software-engineering community. To the programmer, a […]

We'll conclude our in-depth look at the three CASE tools we've been investigating for the past few months with a look at Evergreen CASE Tools' EasyCASE Professional v. 3.1. EasyCASE […]

We're going to take an in-depth look at Visible Systems' Visible Analyst Workbench v. 4.2. For those who have not been following this series, I'll provide a background. Last year, […]

CASE tools are so varied and complex that eventually it becomes very difficult to draw meaningful comparisons among them. Because I feel I have almost reached that point with the […]

It's all in the design Dear Editor: When I read Jack Crenshaw's "It Ain't Over 'Til It's Over" (Jan. 1992), 1 was struck by a feeling of deja vu, perhaps […]

This month, we continue our exploration of the capabilities of five CASE tools with a look at how they handle the creation of data models - entity-relationship diagrams. To refresh […]

FOLLOW THE LEADER Dear Editor: In "Qualities of leadership" (Programming by Profession, Nov. 1991), Karen Hooten's leadership tips are clouded with contradictions. Does she believe that a leader is "a […]

This month, we continue to explore the capabilities of five CASE tools, using the Restaurant Information System model we developed last year as the test suite for these products. To […]

When I think of UNIX CASE tools, two products immediately come to mind: Cadre Technologies TeamWork and Interactive Development Environments' (IDE) Software through Pictures. These two products have defined the […]

The quality and usability of the user interface in CASE tools is a crucial element for keeping developers productive with the tools they are supplied. Yet, user interface issues are […]

During the past year, I have been walking you through portions of the method I use when designing systems. Although the method is based primarily on Steve McMenamin and John […]

Let's take a break from the restaurant information system before we embark on our evaluation of how a variety of CASE tools hold up when we try to implement the […]

Structured analysis produces a view of the problem domain that focuses on what the user's requirements are. This month, we'll venture a step closer to actual code and discuss strategies […]

Automatic code generation from specifications or an abstract representation of a desired system is a long-standing goal of software developers. In this review, we take a look at four code […]

In earlier columns on my approach to structured methods, we looked at an idealized view of how to develop systems. We assumed that no previous system existed and that we […]

Software project managers who read success stories about companies adopting new development methods and who want to replicate that success in their organizations frequently find themselves between a rock and […]

This month we continue our exploration of structured methods by taking a closer look at essential memory, the "glue" that holds together the essential activities. Recall that in May and […]

The underlying principle of structured analysis is to reduce complexity by partitioning a system into its component parts and to create views of the system that progress from the abstract […]

Last month we explored the event list as one of three tools an analyst can use for initial exploration of a proposed system. The two other tools are the context […]

A few months ago 1 began exploring structured analysis with a discussion of context diagrams and entity-relationship diagrams. With these tools, analysts can establish a system's boundaries and begin to […]

Exploring ERD tools In February, I began an overview of structured methods, looking at the context diagram and exploring some ways it can help analysis define a project's domain. In […]

Data is the raison d'etre for any computer system; without data to process, how can you have a data processing system? Thus, capturing all the information you can about the […]

Scoping out the context One of the most crucial, difficult, and yet often ignored tasks in system analysis is defining the system's boundary -- determining what is to be analyzed. […]

System requirements: IBM PC or compatible, Windows v. 2.11 or later, minimum 640K. RAM (2MB recommended) Price: $1,395 single user), $1,545 Per user, network version); volume discounts available Available from: […]

With the new year, it seems appropriate that Tools of the Trade embark on a new direction. Recent surveys of COMPUTER L-4"GUAGE's readership confirm what we have suspected for a […]

Extra time saves money Miscommunication is responsible for more project delays, cost overruns, and project cancellations than any other single factor in the software-development environment. In Software Engineering Economics, Barry […]

Few individuals have the intellectual breadth to make an original, major contribution to a discipline such as software engineering. Many people contribute to the advancement of knowledge, but most progress […]

Lou Mazzucchelli, chair of Cadre Technologies Inc., is one of the most quotable individuals on the CASE scene. A favorite Mazzucchelli aphorism is: A fool with a tool is still […]

Occasionally I've alluded to the software-engineering study group Richard C. Cohen moderates on CompuServe. At last February's Software Development '90, several of the group's members participated in a panel discussion […]

Making sense of it all: Groupware for re-engineering This review covers a number of products that share a common focus: documenting existind code so it can be understood and maintained […]

Yet another editor? Did you hear a big yawn recently? It was the sound of millions of programmers reacting to the news that the folks at Polytron in Beaverton, Ore. […]

UNIX, CASE, AD/Cycle, and everything I've been on the road two out of the last four weeks, first to Washington, D.C., for UniForum, the annual event for UNIXoids, and then […]

Big Blue's repository Every once in a while I like to take a look at what's happening in the Big Blue world. Although I spend most of my time working […]

Stephen McMenamin: Keeping the revolution alive If you have been following my column, you may have noticed that one of the criteria I use in evaluating CASE tools is whether […]