IEEE Software's "Tools of the Trade" with Diomidis Spinellis

Bug Busters

Mon, 14 May 2012 16:04:39 -0700

Stringent quality control helps eliminate bugs. Tools can help prevent them from ending up in production code. We can use type-safe languages, heed compiler warnings, adopt specialized bug-finding tools, and adjust our code to locate bugs during testing.

Project Asset Portability

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 18:20:57 -0700

Source code makes up only a small part of a system’s assets; we also have specs, design diagrams, build rules, version history, documentation, regression tests, and more. Chances are you dread even the thought of changing the tools you use.

Working with Unix Tools

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 10:30:10 -0700

With modern shell command-line editing facilities, we can build commands bit by bit until they are exactly what we need. Nowadays, many systems offer the original Unix tools, so there's no reason not to add this approach to your arsenal.

Version Control Systems

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 13:56:01 -0800

Many software projects limp along without using a version control system. If you or your project isn't using a VCS, adopting one might well be the single most important tooling improvement you can undertake.

Tool Writing: A Forgotten Art?

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 17:02:42 -0800

When trying to create a tool for collecting metrics, the author discovered something important: writing stand-alone tools that you can combine efficiently with others to handle more demanding tasks appears to be becoming a forgotten art.

Java Makes Scripting Languages Irrelevant?

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 10:37:30 -0700

With the evolution from general-purpose scripting languages to Java and .NET, the niche occupied by scripting languages is rapidly shrinking. Software developers, as avid tool users, can enjoy viewing the battle from on top and reap the benefits.

Dear Editor

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 10:33:42 -0700

Using an editor to help with programming can save time and effort. This episode discusses some of the ways editors can help as well as pitfalls programmers should avoid.

The Tools at Hand

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 10:06:21 -0700

This podcast explores the interplay between you, the software practitioner, and the tools you apply to your development problems. Each episode will discuss software construction activities and the tools you can employ--the tools of our trade.