Textbooks and Other Resources for CSC 402
Required Text:
- Wiegers, Software Requirements, 2nd Edition, Microsoft Press, 2003
- Jackson, Software Requirements and Specifications,
Addison-Wesley, 1998
- Yourdon, Death March, Prentice-Hall, 1997
Note that you are responsible to find copies of the textbooks, they
have not been ordered by our bookstore. Get them as soon as
possible. Check with me if you are in financial trouble and
believe you must share books. I'll assume everyone has access to
each text at all times in some form.
Notice also that the textbooks are listed in order of relative
importance. I expect you'll read (and use) Wiegers cover to cover
and use it as a manual. You will be expected to read the Jackson
text in parts, on your own, and may be assigned short presentations on
a particular section of this book. It is a thought-provoking view
from the top regarding software requirements and specifications, good
for higher level guidance. The Yourdon text may not be referenced
often during the course. I expect that you will read it cover to
cover by the end of the quarter (I recommend that you read it early, it
is an easy, and often entertaining, read!) It is a very funny but
realistic view of a popular culture of software engineering that we'll
often need to face and the book contains good advice for the resulting
problems.
I do not teach "out of the text" and will assume you use the text to
supplement (and contrast to) my lecture materiale. I sometimes
disagree with the text and I want to expose you to various
viewpoints.
Highly Recommended Materiale:
- Weinberg, The Psychology of Computer Programming, Dorset
House1998.
- Parnas, "A Rational Design Process: How and Why to Fake It,"
(find the article!)
- Brooks, "The Mythical Man-Month," (find the article!)
- Ludi, "A Student Survival Guide," (local)
Further materiale thoughts:
- Go out and find out about Trimble Corp, what they build and why.
- Learn a little about GPS from whatever perspective interests you
(marketing, RF, interface, design, ...)
- Review your textbooks briefly so that you know what they're about.
- Check on your instructor's academic and industry "pedigree" and
see if you can understand what makes him tick :-)
- Especially check on your instructor's research page for published
research regarding Cal Poly's Capstone Sequence - give it a brief read.