Software Engineering
Context
Michael L. Collard, Ph.D.
Department of Computer Science, The University of Akron
Software & Jobs
| Category | Job Title |
|---|---|
| software engineering | Software Engineer |
| software development | Software Developer |
| programming | Computer Programmer |
Fundamental Activities
Best Time to Develop Software
- Free and easy access to tools
- Free and easy access to documentation, examples, etc
- Free and easy ways to post information
- Easy, low-overhead, inexpensive ways to distribute and collect payment
Reflected in Career
The U.S. News 100 Best Jobs ranks "Software Developer" as the #5 best job. According to the report, the projected number of new software developer jobs in the next 10 years is estimated at 303,700. This represents 29% of all projected jobs in the top ten and is almost 2 times the number of projected jobs for the next highest-ranked job.
Most software that people use is typically …
- buggy
- ugly and painful to use
- challenging to add new features or get bugs fixed
- not updated frequently enough
Changes in the software environment
- Specific apps for specific purposes: Noted, Agenda
- Multiple types of devices
- Internet of Things
"Software is eating the world"
- A software layer gets introduced into an industry
- Computer hardware iterates faster than mechanical systems or people
- Software iterates faster than computer hardware
- Companies based on a software layer often have reduced costs and can bring features to the unserved
- Older companies are unable to adapt, so they die or become insignificant, e.g., first digital camera
Computing in Companies
| Company Type | Software Role | Developer Background | Tools / Languages / IDEs | Development Practices | Example Companies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physical Product Companies | Supporting rather than core value | Often from the physical product domain | Can be idiosyncratic | Physical product development practices | Tesla, Boeing, John Deere |
| Service/Product w/ Software Layer | Enhances but doesn’t define core business | From physical product domain or separate groups | Can be idiosyncratic | Service/product development practices | Uber, FedEx, Disney+ |
| Software-Based Service/Product | Software is the product | From a software background | More recent and more standard | Modern software development practices | GitHub, Google, Netflix |
Hardware Platforms
- Mainframe (Server)
- Minicomputer (Server)
- Desktop PC
- Laptop PC
- Tablet
- Smartphone
- Smartwatch
- IoT: lights, appliances, locks, etc.
Platform: Mainframe
- AKA "Big Iron"
- Era: 1950s - present
- Cost: 1 Million+
- Large companies, government
- E.g., IBM System/360
- Accessed via terminals
- Total Sold: 100,000
- Active: 20,000 - 30,000
- 5 Things Everyone Should Know about Mainframes
- Software Focus: heavy-duty data processing tasks, such as database management, transaction processing, and batch processing.
Historical Platform: Word Processors
- E.g., Sperry, etc.
- Total Sold: 500,000 - 1 million
- 1972 - 1984 (?)
- Inactive
- Software Focus: Word Processing, not general computing
Historical Platform: Minicomputers
- E.g., DEC VAX
- Cost: $150,000+
- Smaller companies, Math & Engineering departments
- Era: 1964 - 1985
- UNIX O.S.
- Total: 1 million
- Software Focus: More specialized tasks, such as scientific simulations, development environments, or serving as a departmental server
Historical Platform: Apple IIs
- Era: 1977 - 1993
- Cost: $1,000+
- Total: 6 Million
- Software
Current Platform Sizes
| Platform | Size |
|---|---|
| PC | 5.0 Billion |
| Installed PC Base | 1.8 Billion |
| Yearly PC sales | 295 Million |
| Windows 10 & 11 | 1.4 Billion |
| Active Mobile Phones | 7.5 Billion |
| Active Smartphones | 7.3 Billion |
| iOS: iPhone, iPad Total | 2.6 Billion |
| Active iPhones | 1.56 Billion |
| Yearly iPhone sales | 230 Million |
| Xbox | 200 Million |
| Apple Watch | 150 Million |
AI & LLMs
- Not talking here about AI in SE (or SE for AI)
- Talking about new requirements that could not exist (or exist as well) without AI
- What can I do with this? not What does this do? or Isn't this cool!
- As for AI in SE, this means Software Engineers need a broader skill set
Expectations are changing
- Reliability
- Robustness
- Transparency
- New Features
- Rate of Improvements
- Security and Compliance
- Usability and User Experience (UX)
- Scalability and Performance
- Sustainability and Ethical Considerations
- Interoperability and Integration
- Affordability and Business Alignment
- Community and Collaboration
- Support and Maintenance
- Diversity and Inclusivity
Processes needed to…
- fix bugs quickly and safely
- introduce new features quickly and safely
- get users what they need
- stay current with changes in the software environment
- ensure security and compliance
- facilitate collaboration and communication
Stakeholders, i.e., People
- Developers
- Developers' management
- Other parts of the company
- Users
- Users' management
- Other parts of the users' company
- Others in the same industry
- Reviewers and the outside world
Single Project Development
| Education/Class | Industry | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Time | days | months-years |
| Time Span | days | months-years |
| Number of Developers | 1 - 3 | 3 - hundreds |
| Number of Programming Languages | 1 | > 1 |
Goal: Success
- Improve quality
- Add new features
- Update current features
- Reduce needed development resources
- Reduce time-to-market