Splitting the difference: the historical necessity of synthesis in software engineering
- 1 January 1997
- journal article
- Published by Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) in IEEE Annals of the History of Computing
- Vol. 19 (1) , 20-54
- https://doi.org/10.1109/85.560729
Abstract
For the last quarter of a century, software technologists have worked to address the "software crisis" identified in the 1960s. Their efforts have focused on a number of different areas, but have often been marked by the search for singular "best" solutions. However, the fundamental nature of software-involving basic and poorly understood problem solving processes combined with unprecedented and multifaceted complexity-weighs heavily against the utility of singular approaches. Examination of the discourse of software technologists in a number of key professional and trade journals over the last 25 years illuminates various disputes central to the development of software engineering and highlights the necessity of a more pluralistic mind set revolving around synthesis and trade-offs.Keywords
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