Software engineering : redundancy is key

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Abstract

Software engineers are humans and so they make lots of mistakes. Typically 1 out of 10 to 100 tasks go wrong. The only way to avoid these mistakes is to introduce redundancy in the software engineering process. This article is a plea to consciously introduce several levels of redundancy for each programming task. Depending on the required level of correctness, expressed in a residual error probability (typically 10-3 to 10-10), each programming task must be carried out redundantly 4 to 8 times. This number is hardly influenced by the size of a programming endeavour. Training software engineers does have some effect as non trained software engineers require a double amount of redundant tasks to deliver software of a desired quality. More compact programming, for instance by using domain specific languages, only reduces the number of redundant tasks by a small constant.
Original languageEnglish
Place of PublicationEindhoven
PublisherTechnische Universiteit Eindhoven
Number of pages8
Publication statusPublished - 2013

Publication series

NameComputer science reports
Volume1308
ISSN (Print)0926-4515

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