Accession Number:
AD0739479
Title:
A Study of Fundamental Factors Underlying Software Maintenance Problems
Descriptive Note:
Final rept. (Volume 1), Feb-Dec 1971
Corporate Author:
CIRAD CLAREMONT CA
Personal Author(s):
Report Date:
1971-12-20
Pagination or Media Count:
158.0
Abstract:
Problems faced by programmers who must maintain programs someone else wrote are identified. They are reduced to three fundamental inhibiting factors 1 the limited rate at which people can make relevance tests, 2 over-confirmation in clues required before hypothesis-testing, and 3 human vulnerability to distraction and procrastination. Studies suggested collectively by these factors were conducted. The studies 1 ascertained that programmers tend to think in terms of conceptual groupings whose objective identification would be helpful, 2 indicated that it was feasible to trace the path the programmer takes as he prepares to make a modification, and 3 identified a few tentative measures of the degree of maintainability of computer programs.
Descriptors:
Subject Categories:
- Personnel Management and Labor Relations
- Computer Programming and Software