Software Engineering Notes

Anyone who takes software engineering seriously must stay ahead of the curve. That means a steady stream of new information: products, practice, research, and pointers to more information. This magazine is light on the products, but helps a lot in the other categories. There are informal surveys and other articles, less exacting than "Transactions" material, broader, and more readable. There are also reviews of conference proceedings, recent books, and lots of other events in the world of the SE profession.

Above all, there is the "Risks to the public" column. If the SE profession is a community and "Notes" the community newspaper, then this is the police blotter. It goes on, page after page, listing real and potential failures caused by computer-based systems (not just software). The blurbs range from funny to tragic, but leave an icy knot in you stomach or should. Software isn't as visible as a bridge or dam, but engineering failures in either can be equally destructive, to property or to human life. We need this kind of information to keep all of our responsibilities fresh in our minds, not just meeting the ship date.

//wiredweird