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Date:	Wed, 19 Feb 2003 20:19:56 PST8
From:	"Steven Levine" <steve53@earthlink.net >
Reply-To:	scoug-programming@scoug.com
To:	scoug-programming@scoug.com
Subject:	SCOUG-Programming: In retrospect

In <20030217064312.QTEL7656.out002.verizon.net@2ATHLON>, on 02/16/03
at 10:42 PM, Benedict G. Archer said:

>keep showing up. All the algorithm development is done in an interpreted
>environment, matlab (sometimes octave, with some prototyping in the past
>in APL). The development process has evolved so that the entire data
>processing task is implemented in matlab with the released code a near
>literal translation of the matlab into C++. The programmers writing the
>actual code don't always understand the algorithms, but test against
>matlab results. Even DSP code is developed this way. When processing
>failures show up in released code, the matlab code is fixed first, then
>the tested fixes applied to the C++. This double implementation may seem
>inefficient, maybe it is? It has the merit, however, (some think
>weakness) that the algorithm developer needn't be a skilled programmer
>and the programmer needn't know all the mathematics. On the other hand
>someone with both capabilities will probably be more productive. This
>issue is relevant only for apps implementing math not in the typical
>programmer's repertoire.

I've been involved in projects like this too. Very few people have the
skill set needed to develop and implement projects like this alone. The
dual implementation methods are another case where multiple eyes looking
at the results is better. The dual implementations are actually a classic
method of ensuring a reliable system. The two implementations can be
checked against each other. In this case only one implementation will be
in the shipping product. I've been involved in systems where both are in
the shipping system. The idea is that if one implementaiton has an
undiscovered defect, the other will not and the resulting system will be
fault-free.

Steven

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"Steven Levine" MR2/ICE 2.35 #10183 Warp4/FP15/14.085_W4
www.scoug.com irc.webbnet.org #scoug (Wed 7pm PST)
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