Date: Wed, 23 Sep 1998 21:07:11 -0400 From: Daniel Forrest Allen Subject: Boston SPIN - October Meeting Announcement Software Process Improvement Network (SPIN) October Meeting Announcement Topic: (Retrospective) Code Inspection for System Performance or "How did That get in There?" Speaker: Benson Margulies When: Tuesday, October 20, 1998. 6:30pm-8:30pm Who: Everyone (Academia, Government, Industry) Location: GTE, 77 "A" St., Needham MA. Info: See our web page, http://www.cs.uml.edu/Boston-SPIN For SPIN info, contact Johanna Rothman, 781-641-4046, or jr@jrothman.com Abstract: Code inspection is often discussed as a software quality or software process technique. Many people think of it as part of a large, bureaucratic process in which code passes through many steps and many hands before it sees the light of day. Developers, and even managers, often think of it as a waste of time imposed on them by some 'quality process' (e.g. ISO-9000 or the SEI CMM) rather than as an effective tool for solving or preventing problems. Contrary to this impression, code inspection can be a very powerful tool for solving and preventing problems. This talk discusses the application of code inspection to solving one particular class of problems: software performance nightmares. I have chosen this example for a reason. Performance problems often come to our attention as fire-drills, situations that demand immediate response. This talk discusses how to use code inspection in a product crisis, and then how to help convince your organization that code inspection can help in less stressful situations. About the speaker: Benson Margulies graduated from MIT in 1982 with an SB in EE&CS. He worked for Honeywell Information Systems on the Multics Operating System, for Symbolics on the Lisp Machine, and for Kendall Square Research on multi-supercomputers, before joining ODI as employee 13. In seven years at ODI, he worked on query processing, transaction management, porting to a bewildering assortment of platforms, SQL to OODB translation, and a rag-tag and bob-end variety of other tasks involved in the care and feeding of a new and adolescent enterprise. Since leaving ODI, he has been primarily working as an independent consultant, in areas ranging from analog Cable TV set-top applications to software tamper resistance to Unicode-based internationalization. ============ Monthly Round Table Announcement What: These are focus group or "birds-of-a-feather" sessions. The Facilitator will determine the format. This may range from no agenda with open forum (the "war stories" or informal "lessons-learned" approach) to formalized agenda with prepared questions and position statements (perhaps to obtain industry feedback on shared key challenges). Facilitators: Attendees proposing a Round Table topic will automatically become Facilitator for that session. A member of the SPIN Steering Committee will assist as Scribe for the discussion. Round Table proposals may be submitted by posting a sign-up sheet with the SPIN Steering Committee Round Table Coordinator, Caroline Starita (staritac@amp.com). Proposed Round Table sessions will be posted for sign-up prior to the monthly meeting in order for attendees to register their interest. When: 6:30 - 7:00 PM, before SPIN Meetings Who: Everyone (Academia, Government, Industry). Attendance is based upon "first-come, first-seated" basis. For purposes of participation and general convenience, maximum seating is viewed as 10, including the Facilitator and the Scribe. Monthly Round Table Topics: Proposed topics with registered sign-up interest from 6 or more attendees for the next meeting will automatically become Round Table topics for that month. The registration deadline will be 5PM the second Friday of the month. If there are less than 5 selected topics, the Steering Committee will decide whether to sponsor "wildcat" Round Table topics for that meeting. Facilitators for the monthly sessions will be notified no later than noon the third Monday in order to ensure appropriate coverage of the selected sessions. For roundtable information, contact Caroline J. Starita, 978-442-4004 or staritac@amp.com Directions: From Route 128 in Needham, take exit 19A onto Highland Avenue East. Take your first right by the Ground Round and take your second left onto "A" Street. GTE is the last building on the right. Enter the parking lot by the GTE sign and come into the building by the cafeteria entrance, which is located to the left of the main entrance. There will be a security guard at the entrance.