Book reports

Citation

Hutton, D.M. (1999), "Book reports", Kybernetes, Vol. 28 No. 9. https://doi.org/10.1108/k.1999.06728iae.001

Book reports

The following information about useful special interest books has been received from the Association of Computing Machinery* (ACM). It should be noted that readers who are members of this organisation will be able to obtain copies at "member rates". A complete listing of ACM products and services is now on-line E-Store: http://www.acm.org/catalog/ The following will be of interest to those working in systems and cybernetics.

KDD: Knowledge Discovery in Data

Keywords Publication, Knowledge discovery, Data mining, Cybernetics

This is produced electronically only and quarterly. It follows the desire of the special interest group SIGKDD’s mission to promote rapid maturation of the field of knowledge discovery in data and data mining as a key element of the corporate information technology structure. SIGKDD provides a focal point for the exchange, debate and dissemination of new ideas by researchers, developers and users of technology for discovering knowledge in data and data mining. ACM have indicated that the publication will be available in July 1999.

Intelligence: New Visions of AI in Practice

Keywords Publication, Artificial intelligence, Cybernetics

This is based on the former bulletin of the special interest group SIGART but has now become a new quarterly publication with the promise of "fresh writing and ideas from a broad-based spectrum of the AI community". AI is an integral part of cybernetics in current research and it has emerged as a legitimate part of a wide array of applications. This is true both in the commercial world and in the research sector, in what can only be described as a fast paced field.

The Unified Software Development Process

Ivar Jacobson, Grady Booch and James RumbaughPaperback1999512 pp.ISBN 0-201-57169-2(see also the authors of Unified Modeling Language Reference Manual, Paperback, 1998, ISBN 0-201-30998-X and the ML User Guide, 1998, ISBN 0-201-57168-4)

Keywords Publication, Software development, Cybernetics

The authors say that the Unified Process goes beyond mere object oriented analysis and design to spell out a proven family of techniques that supports the complete software development life cycle. This they say results in a component-based process that is user-case driven, architecture-centric, iterative, and incremental. The goal of the text is to demonstrate how the notation and process complement one another, using UML models to illustrate the new process in action.

Software Project Management: A Unified Framework

Walker RoyceHardcover1998448 pp.ISBN 0-201-30958-0For further information contact: ACM, ACM Order Dept., PO Box 11405, New York, NY 10286-1405, USA or ACM-European Service Centre, 108 Cowley Road, Oxford OX4 1JF, UK. E-mail: orders@acm.org Fax: US +1-212-944-1318; Europe +44-1865-381338

Keywords Publication, Software, Cybernetics, Systems

It is now almost impossible to carry out research in systems and cybernetics or indeed in any hard science without being involved in a Software Project. This book aims to help by providing a discussion of the economics, metrics, and management strategies needed to plan and execute a software project successfully. The author Royce sets out to discuss – with refreshing candour – some of the fads, follies and excesses of the software industry, clearly differentiating proven techniques and obsolete methods. New arguments are produced for new management approaches and the relative impact of these new techniques is quantified through simple economic analyses, common sense, and anecdotal evidence. The resulting framework, we are told, strikes a pragmatic balance between theory and practice that can be readily applied to today’s challenging environment. Case studies of large-scale, million-line projects are included. Such application will illustrate our need to find new approaches.

2. Mathematics and Computational Science

The following texts provide a mathematical background for researchers.

Handbook of Mathematics and Computational Science

J.W. Harris and H. Stocker (Eds)Springer-Verlag1998xxviii + 1028 pp.£19.50ISBN 0-387-94746-9

Keywords Publication, Mathematical, Computation, Fuzzy logic, Neural networks

Mostly provides a mathematical content with one chapter which makes direct reference to computational science. A mathematical handbook therefore which covers the traditional areas of mathematics, as well as the newer interests of fuzzy logic and neural networks. Publishers believe it to be a complete reference guide for working scientists, engineers and students' serving as a toolbox for rapid access to a wealth of information for everyday application. There is undoubtedly a great breadth of coverage and it has been described as one of the best such texts produced so far. A handbook that has received many good reviews.

Online Computation and Competitive Analysis

Allan Borodin and Ran El-YanivCambridge University Press (CUP)1998432 pp.£35 HardbackISBN 052156925

Keywords Publication, Analysis, Algorithms

Although this is described as a graduate text and reference it does provide an in-depth presentation of competitive analysis which is a framework for measuring the performance of online algorithms. It is said to be particularly useful because it provides examples and applications.

3. Systems Science

A second edition of a book first published in 1993, which has been given new additions of information on critical systems.

Dealing with Complexity: An Introduction to the Theory and Practice of Systems Science (2nd edition)

Robert Flood and Ewart CarsonPlenum PressLondonFirst published 1993280 pp.£23.60 ClothISBN 0-306-44299-X

D.M. Hutton