Can We Add New Functionality Without Changing Code?
Abstract
In this talk, I will describe a computer-aided method of developing software by which programmers may implement different features of an application as independent reusable components, even though these features affect the control flows of one another. By implication, this method enables a programmer to add new features to an application without the labor-intensive and error-prone tasks of modifying existing code. This method is supported by a set of programming language constructs, an interaction detection algorithm and a run time system specification. The programmer uses the language constructs to specify nonprocedural program units, organize the program units into reusable features and integrate several features together into a feature package. The interaction detection algorithm analyzes program units and determines whether there is interaction among program units in a feature and among features in a feature package. The programmer must resolve the interaction, if detected, before the programs can be executed. The run time system specification supports the semantics of the programming language constructs and preserves the conditions that enable interaction detection.
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Dr Francis Leung is a research professor in the ECE Department of IIT. He is a Fellow of IEEE, which cited his contribution on operating systems, protocols and programming methods for the development of distributed systems and multimedia communication applications. Previously, he managed research and development organizations, at Motorola and Bell Laboratories, on cellular infrastructure architecture, interactive video server, electronic switching system software, multimedia communication protocols, ATM technology and application oriented language. He also co-founded the Newave Software Company, which is developing software technology products. He has twelve patents, with several others pending in these areas. He is the main inventor of the original patents on Remote Procedure Call and ATM Layer Protocol. He has three other patents that won the prestigious AT&T Patent Awards. From 1985 through 1991, he was an editor of IEEE Transactions in Computers. He received his Ph. D. in Computer Science from the University of California, Berkeley. |