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Programming Viewed as an Engineering Activity

Author(s)
Rich, Charles; Shrobe, Howard E.; Waters, Richard C.; Sussman, Gerald J.; Hewitt, Carl E.
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Abstract
It is profitable to view the process of writing programs as an engineering activity. A program is a deliberately contrived mechanism constructed from parts whose behaviors are combined to produce the behavior of the whole. We propose to develop a notion of understanding a program which is analogous to similar notions in other engineering subjects. Understanding is a rich notion in engineering domains. It includes the ability to identify the parts of a mechanism and assign a purpose to each part. Understanding also entails being able to explain to someone how a mechanism works and rationalize its behavior under unusual circumstances.
Date issued
1978-01-01
URI
http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/6285
Other identifiers
AIM-459
Series/Report no.
AIM-459

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  • AI Memos (1959 - 2004)

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