Happy Jack's Software Page

Last Updated - August 24, 2001

See Process, the most important thing on this website.

News

8/24/01 - JavaWorld has published the Myth of Code Centricity. This is the summation of all I have learned in my years as a software engineer.

6/1/01 - Added an FAQ to Visual Circuit Board. This is where my energy is going lately.

2/8/01 - Concept Maps - A simple introduction to this widely used technique, aka Semantic Nets.

1/22/01 - Added Concepts of Software Engineering for use in the new JSL Book Study Group. We are discussiong "Complexity - The Emerging Science at the Edge of Order and Chaos", by Waldrop, 1992. This is open to members of the JSL list.

12/15/00 - Towards A Universal Conceptual Architecture for Reuse - There's got to be a better way. This article explores what I see as some of the best directions, at the highest level possible.

10/12/00 - Some documents have been very professionally reprinted by Flashline. See Avoiding the Pitfalls of Components and Observations on Reuse (a thread between Paul Reavis and Stan Silvert on the JSL list).

8/24/00 - Getting a little further along, we have the beginning of Mini Process 3, which includes the foundational Basic OOAD Process.

Jack's current status - Taking a sabbitical now, rather than when he's 110. ;-) Hiking the AT and other trails a week or two a month, for fun and to build up those glutes in hope of curing his sitting problem. Building the Tower the rest of the time. Worked hard on VCB for awhile. Also doing the fine and little things that life is made of.... As of May 2001 Jack is now an environmentalist. If you are interested in the global sustainability problem, contact Jack.

Old Significant News

9/19/99 - Completed first version of Frameworks, including framework 17 patterns.

Fall 99 - For a special treat Jack has posted photos of his shady past. :-) These cover the mysterious Tower he keeps mentioning, and his 8 years as a sculptor.... For a quick representative look, here's a shot of the timberframe room he's glassing in right now, and the Demilune Table, one of his favorites. Or you can see all the photos.

Ultra High Reuse

Frequently Asked Questions about UHR - With all the right answers! :-)
Glossary - Of the key UHR and BA terms and underlying concepts.
UHR Overview - Introduces some of the following UHR documents.
Corporate Perspective - Read this to get the big picture on UHR.
The Advantages of UHR - How can UHR benefit you and your organization?
What Differentiates UHR - It's a structural change, not an incremental one.
Key Little Visions - This was an early document, retained for general interest.
Technology Grid - The architectural roadmap guiding this entire vision.
Grid Phases - Anything this large and complex takes a phased approach.
Key UHR Behaviors - The closest thing we have to a UHR Spec.
Magnification - How one abstraction is magnified by others.
Spider Formation - A possible organization for when UHR matures.
Base Roles for Parts - This is rather exploratory.
Generation 2 Guide - Nearly everything you need in a new condensed format.
The Illustrated How UHR Works - A very rough release for feedback. See Story Board 2.

Bean Assembler (BA)

BA Theory

Structured Assembly - The key theory document.
Hyper Change - Basically we say excess change is our prime driver.
Continuous Change Process - To the organization's process.
Continuous Change Architecture - What's the best way to support process?
Configurability - The key technique for ultra-high reuse.
Inifinite Extensibility - The ability to evolve gracefully through change of any kind.
Appropriate Enterprise System Architecturei - Layered and Services.
Pitfalls of Components - Problems to avoid in component centric systems.
The Future of Application Development - A presentation to CDC in Atlanta.
Value Driven Software Evolution - A way to greatly improve sofware value.

BA Implementation

The Bean Assembler - The reference implementation of UHR.
Kernel 2 Project - The second generation reference implementaiton.
Parameter Examples - Useful for understanding Declarative Knowledge.
Understanding the BA - A writeup for BA Workshop One.
BA System Engine Model - The Microkernel Class Model.
Original Spec - For historical interest.
Downloads - The org.jcon distribution with the BA and sample BA systems.

BA Other

The BA Project - Entry point for our work.
BA Tutorial - (Incomplete, try How the BA Works)
How the BA Works - Read this first to learn the BA.
BA Workshop Two Thoughts - Initial announcement.
BA Workshop Two - What happened.
How to Create BA Plugpoint Frameworks - Be a Framework Creator!
Birth of a Part - See how an actual part is born.
Christian Cryder's Take on the BA - One developer's own words.

Reuse

Paul's Observations on Reuse - A fascinating exchange of ideas.
What Will Happen to Reuse - In response to a Software Development article.
Frameworks - UHR is a framework for frameworks, so we must understand them.
Circuit Board Development - Just getting started with this. It's my main area now.

Learning

Recommended Readings - One really cannot excel without studying the masters.
Software Engineering Skills - An unbelievably useful list, with comments.
Super Smart Developer Training Program - For you or your organization.
Hiring Great People - A few gleanings help you hire top performers.
Differences Between Procedural & Object Oriented - To help you get to OO.
Best Practices - Don't reinvent the wheel or take too long to start the car. :-)
Modeling Checklist - Use this to validate models or for general education.
Brief GUI Design Guidelines - Covering workflow, layout and complexity.
Learning OO Exercises - For the JSL Study Group in Atlanta. Only one so far.
Patterns - This is under construction.
Concepts of Software Engineering - Under construction.

VKSL - A mild exploration into Concept Maps, aks Semantic Nets.
10 Software Questions of the Century - A fun mild mental challenge....
JSL Program for Summer Fall 2000 - This is a great study group.
JSL Framework Patterns Project - For the JSL study group.
Concept Maps - A simple introduction to this widely used technique.

Process

Process Overview - A discussion of process and most of the following documents.

The Mini Process - The most useful single page on this website.
Mini Process Grid - An improved version with much more process definition.
Mini Process Description - (Incomplete)
Mini Process 2 - An even better version stressing value and quality.
Mini Process 3 - This is barely started.

Process Prescriptor - A prescriptive, configurable approach to process.
Manuscript Review of XP Installed - Jack's getting into XP! :-)
Bowling Game Experiment - To valide my hunch about OOAD and XP.

Jester - A Java Testing tool for Continual Testing.
Coding Standards - The standard class template and coding standards Jack uses.
Structural Tension - An amazingly simple high level planning process.
Defined Process - A one pager on what to do.
Development Process Overview - One approach.
Change Process and System Architecture - Integration is possible!
Daily Worksheet - Useful for getting minds to think at higher levels.
Initial Assessment - For motivivating an organization to improve their process.
Core Competence Analysis - Let's you look inward deeply.
Process Thoughts - A fun read.
Unpredictablity - Many software shops need to read this.
Schedule Disease - A gripping tale about a massive plague and one patient.
Quality Process Template - A short document for getting started.
Optimizing Project Management - Here we recommend the Unified Process.

Related Links

Bibliography of Software Reuse Publications - Huge. Suggested by Wayne Allen.
Electronic Design Automation - EDA is very similar to and way ahead of UHR.
Flashline - Components, more components, and related goodies.
Google - Suggested by Paul Reavis. My favorite search engine. Try "reuse" for amazing results.
Patterns and Software: Essential Concepts and Terminology - Wow! Suggested by Miguel Serrano.
RKT - 7,000 Open Source and Free Items - Suggested by Steve Alexander.
Software Engineering Institute - Located at Carnegie Mellon, the SEI is the home of the CMM.
Software Productivity Consortium - Incredible. See sample link.
Standford Knowledge System Laboratory - A continual source of new good ideas, including reuse.
Photos of the Tower and Art Furniture - Everyone's been curious about this, so here they are!

Comments

This site is content oriented. No cute graphics or fancy layouts here. We assume at least 1024 by 768 resolution and high color for a few pages, because our audience is serious types. My goal is to publish anything that may be of general usefulness for software engineering and doesn't duplicate what's already available. This includes fragments, unfinished explorations, and some finished concepts. All these documents are used in my normal work, either for my own or client's use. Think of this site as a cluttered desktop. :-)

More Bio - Jack has been a consultant since 1975, helping companies in a smorgasbord of areas including corporate planning, IS design, process improvement, project management, general software development, framework design, employee training and how to tell better jokes. Recent clients include CDC of Atlanta, Delta Airlines and Realm Technologies.

We believe in sharing and caring, rather than hoarding knowledge. All material on this site is original and free of copyright, and may be used in any manner you find useful. After all:

"The free flow of information is absolutely fundamental to scientific advancement."
Jonathan Erickson, editor of Dr. Dobbs Journal, Feb 99