December 2006 - Vol. 49 No. 12

December 2006 issue cover image

Features

Opinion Editorial pointers Dec 1 2006

Editorial Pointers

Organizations eager to compete on a global scale surely feel the pressure to improve the efficiency of their software development efforts with methods that enhance…

Diane Crawford

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

News News track Dec 1 2006

A survey of technology leaders, builders, and activists finds that most believe the Internet will continue to spread in a "flattening" and improving world.…

CACM Staff

Computing Applications

Opinion Forum Dec 1 2006

While guest editors Pär J. Ågerfalk and Brian Fitzgerald are to be commended for their special section "Flexible and Distributed Software Processes: Old…

Computing Applications

Opinion Digital village Dec 1 2006

Fungible Credentials and Next-Generation Fraud

Digital technology is easing access and lowering barriers for a new generation of criminal.

Hal Berghel

Computing Applications

News ACM distinguished members Dec 1 2006

ACM Honors Distinguished Members For Contributions to Computing

Inaugural class represents leading industries, research labs, and universities.

CACM Staff

Computing Applications

Opinion Hot links Dec 1 2006

Top 10 Downloads from ACM’s Digital Library

Communications of the ACM Volume 49, Number 12 (2006), Pages 23-24 Hot links: Top 10 downloads from ACM’s digital library Diane Crawford Table of Contents Tables…

Computing Applications

Opinion Viewpoint Dec 1 2006

Robots Make Computer Science Personal

They also make it more hands-on, real, practical, and immediate, inspiring a new generation of scientists' deep interest in the field.

Douglas Blank

Architecture and Hardware

Research and Advances Software product line engineering Dec 1 2006

The current trend of globalization is pressuring industries to explore ways to diversify and deliver their products in a timely and efficient manner. Over the last…

Vijayan Sugumaran, Sooyong Park, and Kyo C. Kang

Computing Applications

Research and Advances Software product line engineering Dec 1 2006

Getting There from Here: A Roadmap For Software Product Line Adoption

Mapping the technical and business activities and steps required for successful organizational adoption.

Paul C. Clements, Lawrence G. Jones, John D. McGregor, and Linda M. Northrop

Computing Applications

Research and Advances Software product line engineering Dec 1 2006

New Methods in Software Product Line Practice

Examining the benefits of next-generation SPL methods.

Charles W. Krueger

Computing Applications

Research and Advances Software product line engineering Dec 1 2006

The Challenges of Broadening the Scope of Software Product Families

Addressing the challenges involved in broadening the scope of software product families.

Jan Bosch

Computing Applications

Research and Advances Software product line engineering Dec 1 2006

Automated Analysis of Feature Models: Challenges Ahead

A feature is an increment in product functionality. Features are commonly used to specify and distinguish products in product lines [8]. They communicate product…

Don Batory, David Benavides, and Antonio Ruiz-Cortés

Computing Applications

Research and Advances Software product line engineering Dec 1 2006

Software Product Line Modeling Made Practical

An example from the Swedish Defense Industry.

Magnus Eriksson, JÜrgen Börstler, and Kjell Borg

Computing Applications

Research and Advances Software product line engineering Dec 1 2006

Feature-Oriented Variability Management in Product Line Engineering

Implementing feature-oriented variability modeling throughout the life cycle.

Jaejoon Lee and Dirk Muthig

Computing Applications

Research and Advances Software product line engineering Dec 1 2006

Multi-Level Customization in Application Engineering

Developing mechanisms for mapping features to analysis models.

Krzysztof Czarnecki, Michal Antkiewicz, and Chang Hwan Peter Kim

Computing Applications

Research and Advances Software product line engineering Dec 1 2006

Product Management For Software Product Lines: An -nsolved Problem?

The goal of this article is to call attention to an area that is yet not sufficiently researched: product management for software product lines (SPLs). Many companies…

Andreas Helferich, Klaus Schmid, and Georg Herzwurm

Computing Applications

Research and Advances Software product line engineering Dec 1 2006

Change Management Patterns in Software Product Lines

Establishing effective change management practices to prevent uncontrolled evolution of the product platform.

Kannan Mohan and Balasubramaniam Ramesh

Computing Applications

Research and Advances Software product line engineering Dec 1 2006

Formal Verification and Software Product Lines

Using formal verification techniques to verify designs within a product line.

Tomoji Kishi and Natsuko Noda

Computing Applications

Research and Advances Software product line engineering Dec 1 2006

Software Product Line Testing

Exploring principles and potential solutions.

Klaus Pohl and Andreas Metzger

Computing Applications

Research and Advances Software product line engineering Dec 1 2006

Multi-Agent System Product Lines: Challenges and Benefits

On the one hand, the field of software product lines (SPLs), as described in the articles in this section, covers all the software development life cycle necessary to…

Joaquin Peña, Michael G. Hinchey, and Antonio Ruiz-Cortés

Computing Applications

Research and Advances Software product line engineering Dec 1 2006

A Quality-Based Cost Estimation Model For the Product Line Life Cycle

In reusing common organizational assets, the software product line (SPL) provides substantial business opportunities for reducing the unit cost of similar products,…

Computing Applications

Research and Advances Dec 1 2006

RFID and the End of Cash?

RFID-embedded money is likely to mean the end of anonymous transactions and with it one of the last bastions of personal anonymity.

Ian Angell and Jan Kietzmann

Architecture and Hardware

Research and Advances Dec 1 2006

What Can Context Do For Web Services?

Context-aware Web service would significantly benefit the interactions between human, applications, and the environment.

Zakaria Maamar, Djamal Benslimane, and Nanjangud C. Narendra

Computing Applications

Research and Advances Dec 1 2006

Software Frameworks For Advanced Procurement Auction Markets

A range of versatile auction formats are coming that allow more flexibility in specifying demand and supply.

Martin Bichler and Jayant R. Kalagnanam

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

Research and Advances Dec 1 2006

How They Manage IT: SMEs in Canada and the U.S.

Small and medium-sized companies in the U.S. make better use of IT than their Canadian counterparts.

Ali Reza Montazemi

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

Opinion Technical opinion Dec 1 2006

Web Site Success Metrics: Addressing the Duality of Goals

The Internet’s ascension from an obscure U.S. Department of Defense experiment to a cultural icon has been remarkable. In less than a decade, it has extended into…

Computing Applications

Opinion Inside risks Dec 1 2006

Liability Risks in Reusing Third-Party Software

Reuse of well-tried components promises cost-effective construction of high-quality software systems. With this approach, third-party software components are usually…

Wilhelm Hasselbring, Matthias Rohr, Jurgen Taeger, and Daniel Winteler

Computing Applications

Recent Issues

Explore the Issue Archive