Training for the New, Processor-Based Technologies

Given the ubiquity of Web- and game-capable personal computers, the authors need not elaborate the economic and intangible incentives and rewards that certain software-development sub-fields, such as Web-design, computer games, and graphics, continue to enjoy. The admittedly high levels of skill that are required to develop software for these areas are, however, insufficient for such large-scale, real-time (event-driven), safety-critical systems as subways, railroads, and aircraft – or for meaningful simulations thereof. The combinatorial explosion of specified functionality (a.k.a. functional requirements) that processor-based technologies have enabled has yielded an order-of-magnitude increase in logical complexity. This complexity requires complementary education and training – in that order – in mathematical and formal models (to characterize a system completely and consistently), and in differentiating levels of abstraction (to manage the intellectual task). Economic and cultural factors – of a time-to-market, time-to-beneficial-use, or time-to-gainful-employment nature – tend to militate against consummation of the required educational task. Colleges and universities are very much subject to this pressure toward extreme pragmatism and accommodation of commodity computers and software: “Teach UML, OO, Java, Perl, C++, Windows, Unix./Linux” The pressure on companies, indeed industries, often results in their offering nominal training that is in reality of a vocational nature – which the authors do not disdain – but call it education. That the cart – training – is before the horse – education – manifests itself in resulting software that is syntactically correct (e.g., excellent C++), but functionally (i.e., logically) incorrect, and sometimes dangerous. Thus, however intelligent they might be, many systems or software professionals are not fully prepared for the very challenging area of large-scale, hard-deadline real-time, event-driven systems that have safety-critical (a.k.a. vital) components. This paper addresses the authors approach and response to this challenge.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/1931594236
• Corporate Authors:

  American Public Transportation Association

  1666 K Street, NW, Suite 1100
  Washington, DC  United States  20006
• Authors:
  • Hacken, G
  • M Purazzo Jr
  • Georgiadis, S
  • Khalili, N
• Conference:
  • Investing Today for a Brighter Tomorrow. The 2006 Rail Conference
  • Date: 2006-6-11 to 2006-6-14
• Publication Date: 2006

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: CD-ROM
• Features: Figures; References;
• Pagination: 9p
• Monograph Title: Investing Today for a Brighter Tomorrow. Proceedings of the 2006 Rail Conference

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Personal computers; Railroads; Safety and security; Software; Subways; Technological innovations; Technology; Training
• Uncontrolled Terms: Advanced vehicle technologies program
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Education and Training; Operations and Traffic Management; Public Transportation; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01033511
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 1931594236
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Sep 29 2006 10:37AM