Architecture versus Design

Rick Kazman and Amnon Eden's "Defining the Terms Architecture, Design, and Implementation" and "Architecture, Design and Implementation" provide a distinction based on Intension and Locality criteria.

Rick and Amnon argue that

• Architectural specifications are intensional and non-local
• Design specifications are intensional but local
• Implementation specifications are both extensional and local

They demonstrate that:

• Architectural styles are intensional and non-local
• Design patterns are intensional and local
• Implementations are extensional and local

A must read for architects and designers.

On Software Design

• Jack W. Reeves's classic essay, titled "What is Software Design" is a must read for software professionals.
• Martin Fowler's "Is Design Dead?"
• This is a good read on high level design and low level design.

What Every Web Programmer Needs To Know About Security

Excellent presentations titled "What Every Web Programmer Needs To Know About Security".

Software Architecture Challenges in the 21st Century

A workshop titled "Software Architecture Challenges in the 21st Century" took place some time back (June 2009).
Here is Diomidis D. Spinellis account of the talks. Presentations are located here.

Software reuse

Reuse is a complex issue. It is about people and education, not just architecture, as Jeremy Meyer says here.

A great blog post from Martin Fowler on a very difficult subject.

Flash is pervasive

Some interesting excerpts from this Ney York Times article.

• According to Adobe, Flash is not on 98% of all computers and about 80% of the Web videos are viewed with it
• Flash was installed on 40 percent of cellphones shipped last year
• It is behind-the-scenes Web format used to display Facebook applications, interactive ads and, most notably, the video on sites like YouTube and Hulu.com.

Note that Adobe gives away its FlashPlayer for free and makes money by selling software that help people to create Flash content.

Nasa on complexity of flight software

The document is here.