Miscellany

This is a page of links to all kinds of interesting information that is related to what we do, with brief descriptions of their relevance. For further information, click first on the topic heading.

Big Ball of Mud

by Brian Foote and Joseph Yoder — "While much attention has been focused on high-level software architectural patterns, what is, in effect, the de-facto standard software architecture is seldom discussed. This paper examines this most frequently deployed of software architectures:... a casually, even haphazardly, structured system. Its organization, if one can call it that, is dictated more by expediency than design. Yet, its enduring popularity cannot merely be indicative of a general disregard for architecture...."

Stories about the B5000

by Richard Waychoff — I worked for Burroughs (known as Unisys after merging with Sperry in 1986) for two summers after high school and for more than 15 years later on. I worked in Pasadena for Richard on the B6500, a successor to the B5000, that second summer. I eventually came to know a number of the other people mentioned in this interesting little history: John Hale, Lloyd Turner, Brad MacKenzie, Ben Dent, Dave Dahm, Bobby Creech, Dick Shobe, Ray McDonald, even Edsger Dykstra. Unfortunately, I never met Bob Barton, don knuth or Niklaus Wirth, people of near-mythological stature in my mind.

Reflections on Trusting Trust

by Ken Thompson — His acceptance speech upon being awarded the Turing Award in 1983. A real gem.

U.S. Patent #6,368,227

This patent, granted in 2002, demonstrates clearly that the system is broken.