907 subscribers
Note: If you have problems with the format of this document,
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++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Table of Contents
Letter From the FASE Staff: A New
Addition, Plus More Listserv Info
Upcoming Topics
News Items
SEN Article:
"A Whole New Kind of Engineering"
SIGCSE
Survey, TCEA Discussion on Company-Based Certification
Patent on Flexible
User Interface Design
Countries with
Subscribers to FASE
Position Openings
University
of Auckland - Chair in Software Engineering
Contact
and General Information about FASE
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
By: Don Bagert (Academic/Misc Editor)
Letter From the FASE Staff: A New Addition, Plus More Listserv Info
On behalf of the FASE editorial staff, I would like
to welcome
David Carter as the new Industry Editor for FASE. David will
coordinate items in the corporate/government area. He is
Principal
Program Manager for Software Engineering Education at the College
of
Technology of Motorola University in Schaumburg, Illinois USA.
I am
sure that David will have a great and positive impact on FASE in
the
months to come!
At the same time, we would like to bid a fond farewell
to Kathy
Beckman, who since 1995 has served as the first Industry Editor
FASE
ever had. Kathy is stepping down due to other obligations,
but
hopefully, we will see more contributions from her at some point
when
she is able to =)
Watch for another addition to the FASE staff in the
near future!
Also: Last issue, the new listserv for FASE and FASE-TALK
were
discussed. Besides, the standard email method, subscriptions
can also
be maintained through the Web via http://lyris.acs.ttu.edu.
From
there, click on "TTU Faculty Mailing Lists", and then either "fase"
or "fase-talk", depending on which list you desire. If you
have any
problems with new listserv, please contact me at Don.Bagert@ttu.edu.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
By: Don Bagert (Academic/Misc Editor)
Upcoming Topics
May 2000: SWECC Survey on Software Engineering
Academic Programs
Guest Editor: Kenneth Modesitt
University of Michigan-Dearborn
modesitt@umich.edu
July 2000: The Importance of Math and Problem-Solving
in SE
Guest Editor: Peter B. Henderson
Butler University
phenders@butler.edu
For more information about a particular issue's topic, please contact
the corresponding guest editor. Please refer to the article
format
provided at the end of each issue when making submissions, which
are
always made directly to the guest editor.
If you are interested in being a guest editor, or have any suggestions
for future topics, please contact me at Don.Bagert@ttu.edu.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
News Items
######################################################################
By: Don Bagert (Academic/Misc Editor)
SEN Article: "A Whole New Kind of Engineering"
The January 2000 issue of ACM Software Engineering
Notes contains
the article "A Whole New Kind of Engineering" on pages 109-113.
(The
author is listed as "L.B.S. Raccoon", which is a pseudonym.)
In it,
he suggests that "Software engineers should take their time towards
certification [and licensing]. They should work on a scale
of
decades, rather than years."
The article looks at the different types of licensing
mechanisms
for engineering, and suggests that an "All-Engineering-Combined"
approach, with software in some application domains being unregulated,
some being regulated by the government, and some overseen by
professional societies, "seems a natural long-term result".
######################################################################
By: Don Bagert (Academic/Misc Editor)
SIGCSE Survey, TCEA Discussion on Company-Based Certification
[This is the text of a message recently sent to the SIGCSE.MEMBERS
listserv.]
About a month ago, I did a survey of the SIGCSE.MEMBERS listserv
for
concerning high school courses targeted at students earning
company-based certification. This was in preparation for
a session at
the Texas Computer Education Association (TCEA) annual conference
in
Austin; the question to be addressed there was: what role should
such
courses play in secondary computer science education?
Here are the survey results, and a summary of the discussion at
the
conference. Although the survey results were not surprising
to me,
the TCEA discussion WAS.
Survey Questions and Results: 26 responses
1. What level do you teach at? (e.g. secondary, two-year college,
four-year college)
Four-year college: 21
Two-Year college: 2
Secondary school: 3
2. If you teach at the secondary level, does your school teach
computer courses aimed at a certain type of certification?
If so,
which ones?
No: 2
"Sort Of" (looked some at certification courses at a nearby two-year
college): 1
3. If you teach at the college level, does your institution
give
credit to students for earning a company-based certification such
as
MCSE? If so, what type of credit do you give?
Two-Year Colleges
Yes: 0
No, but do offer courses involved company-based certification
material: 2
Four-Year Colleges
Maybe: 1 (possibly lower level elective credit)
No: 20 (one is offering such a class, and another
one is
considering
it)
4. Do you think that courses primarily aimed at a particular
type of
certification should be taught at the high school level?
If so, what
role do you think they should play in a student's education?
(For
instance, should they take the place of, or be a prerequisite to,
the
standard Computer Science courses? Should the certification
courses
be aimed primarily at students not planning on a obtaining a four-year
college degree?)
(These were harder to quantify, so these results are a little more
general.)
* Several said no, not under any circumstances
* A majority said that such courses would be useful, but only if
they
are treated as technical/vocational courses, for students
not
intending on a four-year college education
* Only two people stated that such courses would be useful to all
high
school students studying computer science
5. Do you have any other comments, or information to add?
* Most people had nothing further to add, or just summarized or
added
their answer to question 4
* One person stated that the same issue is currently being debated
in
British Columbia
TCEA Session Discussion
First of all, I surprised at the size crowd: it was
overflowing at
more than 50 people. Second, and even more surprisingly,
I found that
about half of the attendees were already offering company-based
certification courses (mostly Cisco network certification), and
the
other half was strongly considering it.
Here are some of the frequent comments made in the discussion:
1. Taking such courses and receiving certification helps the
student
earn money to get to college, instead of being
thought of as a
substitute for it.
2. Many of the employers of such students are encouraging
them to go
to college, and are even willing to help pay
for it.
3. Most of the teachers felt that the Cisco courses were more
challenging to the students than the standard
Computer Science
courses.
4. The teachers still felt that students going on to college
would
benefit from the standard CS1/CS2 high courses,
and realize that
most four-year universities will not give college
credit for
company-based certification or related courses.
I'm interested in hearing the membership's thoughts on the TCEA
discussion. Thanks to all those that participated in the
survey.
Don
######################################################################
From: Arun Lakhotia <arun@cacs.usl.edu>
Patent on Flexible User Interface Design
I came across a patent that may be of interest to the FASE
audience. The patent granted to Geoworks (http://www.geoworks.com)
discloses a process of designing user interfaces such that the
same
code can work on multiple platform.
I am appending its abstract. Details may be found on:
http://www.uspto.gov. Geoworks
claims that they also have a Japanese
patent for this work.
WML (Wireless Markup Languages) the language used for WAP (Wireless
Access Protocol) is based on this patent. WAP is the communication
protocol for wireless phones, email, fax, etc. recently announced
by
Lucent.
Geoworks site has some useful interpretation of the patent and how
WML
is an embodiment of its patent. It would be interesting to see
an
independent analysis of this patent.
United States Patent 5,327,529 Awarded: July 5, 1994
Title: Process of designing user's interfaces for application
programs
Abstract
A method for invoking a user interface for use with an application
operating in a computer system which involves providing
in the
computer system a generic object class that corresponds
to a class
of function that is to be performed using the user interface;
specifying in the application instance data in the form
of a generic
object specification that corresponds to the generic object
class,
the instance data including attribute criteria and hint
criteria;
providing in the computer system at least one specific user
interface toolbox and controller that operates in the computer
system to provide a selection of possible specific user
interface
implementations for use in performing the class of function;
and
providing in the computer system at least one interpreter
that
corresponds to the at least one specific user interface
toolbox and
controller.
Inventors: Fults; Douglas A. (San Leandro, CA); Requist;
Anthony M.
(Alameda, CA)
Assignee: Geoworks (Berkeley, CA)
Appl. No.: 942354
Filed: September 9, 1992
######################################################################
By: Don Bagert (Academic/Misc Editor)
Countries with Subscribers to FASE
There are currently there are 907 people from 55 countries and
provinces that are subscribing to FASE, according to internet domain
codes:
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Bahrain
Belgium
Brazil
Brunei Darussalam
Bulgaria
Canada
Chile
China
Denmark
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Japan
Korea, South
Kuwait
Latvia
Lithuania
Macau
Madagascar
Malaysia
Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Pakistan
Poland
Portugal
Saudi Arabia
Singapore
Slovak Republic
Slovenia
South Africa
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Thailand
Tunisia
Turkey
Ukraine
United Kingdom
United States
Uruguay
Yugoslavia
[Editor's Note: Macau and Hong Kong are provinces of the People's
Republic of China, and the status of Taiwan is best left to the
politicians. No international incidents, please!]
If I have left off your country, please let me know.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Position Openings
######################################################################
From: Rick Mugridge <r.mugridge@auckland.ac.nz>
CHAIR IN SOFTWARE ENGINEERING
Department of Computer Science and
Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
University of Auckland
Auckland
New Zealand
Vacancy 1168
The University of Auckland is seeking applicants for a Chair in
Software Engineering, to play a leading role in the continuing
development of teaching and research in Software Engineering.
The University has just introduced a Bachelor of Engineering degree
in Software Engineering, the first of its kind in New Zealand.
The
degree is designed to meet the huge unsatisfied demand for
professional software engineers, both locally and internationally.
It is based on international software engineering curriculum
standards proposed by the IEEE/ACM Task Force on Defining the
Software Engineering curriculum. The degree is planned to
have
close industry involvement. Teaching will be shared by the
Departments of Computer Science and Electrical and Electronic
Engineering.
Postgraduate programmes in Software Engineering will follow. A
PhD programme is in place. The University already has research
and teaching strengths in Software Engineering; augmenting these
will be a major focus.
The Department of Computer Science is the largest and most
diversified in New Zealand, with approximately 3500 students (810
effective full-time students) enrolled in undergraduate and
postgraduate programmes on the City and Tamaki Campuses. Staff
research interests cover a wide range of fields including a strong
core of research in Software Engineering. Much of the research
is
co-ordinated by the Internet and Software Research Group (Nikau)
which has developed strong links with industry. Further information
may be obtained through the department's web page at
http://www.cs.auckland.ac.nz.
The Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering is the
largest Engineering Department at the University of Auckland with
approximately 400 undergraduate students (EFTS) and 100 Postgraduate
students. At present it offers two degree programmes - Electrical
and Electronic Engineering and Computer Systems Engineering.
Research interests in the Department include Power Systems, Control,
Signal Processing, Information Systems, Radio Systems, Power
Electronics, Embedded Systems and Digital Systems. It has
strong
links with industry. For further information please see the
department's home page at http://www.ele.auckland.ac.nz.
The University of Auckland is New Zealand's largest university,
with 25,000 students on several campuses. Details of the
University are available at http://www.auckland.ac.nz.
Auckland, with a population of one million, is New Zealand's largest
city and its commercial centre. It is a cosmopolitan city
with a
pleasant temperate climate and convenient access to a wide range
of social and, cultural and recreational opportunities. Auckland
is known as the City of Sails and has harbours on both the Pacific
Ocean and the Tasman Sea.
We welcome applications for the Chair from suitably qualified
candidates in the field of software Engineering. Candidates are
asked to address the following criteria in their application:
- Engineering and related areas, and an ability to attract
researchers and provide research leadership
- Commitment to providing high quality teaching
- Demonstrated leadership capabilities, essential for ongoing
academic growth
- Ability to liaise with industry and to secure their involvement
and support
- Ability to provide a vision of the future for Software Engineering
Further positions in Software Engineering will become available
in
the next few months, and as the programme grows, so we invite
expressions of interest in appointments at any level.
Conditions of Appointment
1. The Appointment
The appointment will be made at the professorial level, with salary
and conditions commensurate with background and experience.
2. Tenure
This is a tenurable appointment.
3. Qualifications
Candidates will have:
* A distinguished research reputation in Software Engineering and
related areas
* A commitment to provide high quality teaching
* Demonstrated leadership capabilities, essential for ongoing
academic growth
* The ability to liaise with industry and to secure their involvement
and support
* The ability to provide a vision of the future for Software
Engineering, in both teaching and research
4. Responsibilities
The successful candidate will be responsible to the Vice-Chancellor
through the Head of the Department of Electrical and Electronic
Engineering and the Dean of Engineering for teaching and related
duties. The successful candidate will be expected to encourage,
supervise and engage in research within the University and to
develop teaching and research programmes, and provide leadership
within the department.
The successful candidate will be expected to be the Director of
the Software Engineering programme for an initial three year term.
The Director chairs the Management Committee and Board of Studies
for the Degree.
5. Salary
At present, professorial salaries have a lower bound of NZ$91,044
per annum. The salary for this position will depend on your
qualifications and experience.
6. Commencement Date
To be arranged as early as possible.
7. Other Conditions
These are as specified in the University of Auckland Academic Staff
Standard Employment Contract.
8. Further Information
Further information and Conditions of Appointment can be obtained
from the Academic Appointments Section, telephone 64-9-373 7599
ext 5788; fax 64-9-373 7023; email: appointments@auckland.ac.nz;
or from our website at www.nzjobs.co.nz/auckland.ac/
You can obtain further information on this vacancy from the Acting
Director of the Software Engineering Programme, Associate Professor
Rick Mugridge, telephone 64-9-373 7599, ext 8914, fax 64-9-373
7453,
email: rick@cs.auckland.ac.nz.
9. Closing Date
Three copies of applications, quoting Vacancy 1168, must reach the
Academic Appointments Section, Human Resources Registry, The
University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand,
by the closing date of 14 April 2000.
The University has an EEO policy and welcomes applications from
all qualified persons.
-----------------
-----------
Associate Professor Rick Mugridge
Acting Director, Software Engineering Programme
Department of Computer Science, University of Auckland
Private Bag 92019
Auckland | Ph.
(64) (9) 373.7599 ext 8914
New Zealand | Fax: (64) (9) 373.7453
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Contact and General Information about FASE
The Forum for Advancing Software engineering Education (FASE) is
published on the 15th of each month by the FASE editorial board.
Send newsletter articles to one of the editors, preferably by
category: Articles pertinent to corporate and government training
to
David Carter <D.Carter@motorola.com>;
Academic education, and all
other categories to Don Bagert <Don.Bagert@ttu.edu>.
If the article
for a FASE topic where there is a guest editor, the submission
should
instead be to that person. Items must be submitted by the
8th of the
month in order to be considered for inclusion in that month's issue.
Also, please see the submission guidelines immediately below.
FASE submission format guidelines: All submissions must be
in ASCII
format, and contain no more than 70 characters per line (71 including
the new line character). This 70-character/line format must
be
viewable in a text editor such as Microsoft Notepad WITHOUT using
a
"word wrap" facility. All characters (outside of the newline)
should
in the ASCII code range from 32 to 126 (i.e. "printable" in DOS
text
mode).
[NEW SUBSCRIBE/UNSUBSCRIBE INFORMATION - February 15, 2000]
Everyone that is receiving this is on the FASE mailing list.
If you
wish to leave this list, send a message to
and, in the text of your message (not the subject line), write:
unsubscribe fase
To rejoin (or have someone else join) the FASE mailing list, write to
and, in the text of your message (not the subject line), write:
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For instance, if your name is Jane Smith, write:
subscribe fase Jane Smith
But what if you have something that you want to share with everyone
else, before the next issue? For more real-time discussion,
there is the FASE-TALK discussion list. It is our hope that
it
will be to FASE readers what the SIGCSE.members listserv is to
that group. (For those of you that don't know, SIGCSE is
the
ACM Special Interest Group on Computer Science Education.)
To subscribe to the FASE-TALK list, write to
and, in the text of your message (not the subject line), write:
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For instance, if your name is Jane Smith, write:
subscribe fase-talk Jane Smith
and then either "fase" or "fase-talk", depending on which list you
desire. Please try to limit FASE-TALK to discussion items
related to
software engineering education and training; CFPs and other such
items
can still be submitted to the editor for inclusion into FASE.
Anyone
that belongs to the FASE-TALK mailing list can post to it.
FASE-TALK is also used by the editors for "breaking stories" i.e.
news
that we feel that you would want to hear about before the next
issue
of FASE comes out. (We do this sparingly, though.)
As always, there is no cost for subscribing to either FASE or
FASE-TALK!
(Subscriptions can also be maintained through the Web via
http://lyris.acs.ttu.edu.
From there, click on "TTU Faculty Mailing
Lists", and then either "fase" or "fase-talk", depending on which
list
you desire.)
Back issues (dating from the very first issue) can be found on the
web (with each Table of Contents) at
<http://www.cs.ttu.edu/fase/archive.htm>
in chronological order,
<http://www.cs.ttu.edu/fase/reverse.htm>
in reverse order, or
through ftp at
<ftp://www.cs.ttu.edu/fase/archive>.
The FASE Staff:
Don Bagert, P.E. -- Academic/Misc Editor, ListMaster, and Archivist
Dept. of Computer Science
8th and Boston
Texas Tech University
Lubbock TX 79409-3104 USA
Phone: 806-742-1189
Fax: 806-742-3519
Email: Don.Bagert@ttu.edu
URL: http://www.cs.ttu.edu/faculty/bagert.html
David Carter -- Corporate/Government Editor
College of Technology
Motorola University
1700 Golf Road 10th floor, Schaumburg IL 60196
Phone: 847-576-4849
Fax: 847-538-3692
Email: D.Carter@motorola.com
Laurie Werth -- Advisory Committee
Taylor Hall 2.124
University of Texas at Austin
Austin TX 78712 USA
Phone: 512-471-9535
Fax: 512-471-8885
Email: lwerth@cs.utexas.edu
Nancy Mead -- Advisory Committee
Software Engineering Institute
5000 Forbes Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15213 USA
Phone: 412-268-5756
Fax: 412-268-5758
Email: nrm@sei.cmu.edu