Java Software Structures, 4th Edition Exercise Solutions, Ch. 1
Chapter 1 Exercise Solutions
EX 1.1 Compare and contrast software engineering with other engineering disciplines
EX 1.2 Give a specific example that illustrates each of the software quality
characteristics listed in Figure 1.1.
Correctness – Specific requirements call for a particular algorithm to be used and it is.
Reliability – Frequency and criticality of software failure is an issue specific to any given
system. For some systems, it may be acceptable for the system to fail and need to be
restarted occasionally. However, that might not be acceptable for a critical system
such as a reactor control system.
Robustness – What happens when a system fails can be very important. For example,
a system that manages to save its data as it fails may be more appropriate than one
that loses all of the unsaved work since the last update.
Usability – What would happen if a car company decided to change the way a steering
wheel works? What if turning the wheel to the right meant the car would go left?
EX 1.3 Provide an example, and describe the implications, of a trade-off that might be
necessary between quality characteristics in the development of a software
system.
Handheld gaming consoles provide an excellent example of such trade-offs. Given the