Includes articles in topic areas such as autonomic computing, operating system architectures, and open source software technologies and applications.

Introduction to Computers and Application Software provides a complete survey of the computer technologies necessary for achieving basic technology literacy and sets you on the path to career success. This helpful resource covers: - Computer Hardware - The Microsoft Windows 7 Operating System - The Internet - Microsoft Word 2010 - Microsoft Excel 2010 - Microsoft PowerPoint 2010

The field of Information Systems (IS) outsourcing has drawn considerable attention among scientists and practitioners for the past fifteen years. The present book analyses why organizations insource or outsource IS functions - - specifically the development and maintenance of software applications. Concepts from transaction cost theory, resource-based theory, incomplete contracts theory, the theory of planned behaviour, and cross-cultural research are integrated into a coherent framework that recognizes the economic, strategic, and social dimension of the IS sourcing decision. This framework is specified in a research model and empirically tested across countries (Germany versus USA), industries (Machinery versus Finance) and IS functions (Application Software Development versus Maintenance) using the partial least squares (PLS) approach of structural equation modelling. The book thereby provides theoretically and empirically grounded insights into the reasons and implications of the IS sourcing decision.

Automation systems, often referred to as SCADA systems, involve programming at several levels; these systems include computer type field controllers that monitor and control plant equipment such as conveyor systems, pumps, and user workstations that allow the user to monitor and control the equipment through color graphic displays. All of the components of these systems are integrated through a network, such as Ethernet for fast communications. This book provides a practical guide to developing the application software for all aspects of the automation system, from the field controllers to the user interface workstations. The focus of the book is to not only provide practical methods for designing and developing the software, but also to develop a complete set of software documentation. Providing tested examples and proceducres, this book will be indespensible to all engineers managing automation systems. - Clear instructions with real-world examples - Guidance on how to design and develop well-structured application programs - Identification of software documentation requirements and organization of point names with logical naming system - Guidance on best practice of standardized programming methods for SCADA systems

Many claims are made about how certain tools, technologies, and practices improve software development. But which claims are verifiable, and which are merely wishful thinking? In this book, leading thinkers such as Steve McConnell, Barry Boehm, and Barbara Kitchenham offer essays that uncover the truth and unmask myths commonly held among the software development community. Their insights may surprise you. Are some programmers really ten times more productive than others? Does writing tests first help you develop better code faster? Can code metrics predict the number of bugs in a piece of software? Do design patterns actually make better software? What effect does personality have on pair programming? What matters more: how far apart people are geographically, or how far apart they are in the org chart? Contributors include: Jorge Aranda Tom Ball Victor R. Basili Andrew Begel Christian Bird Barry Boehm Marcelo Cataldo Steven Clarke Jason Cohen Robert DeLine Madeline Diep Hakan Erdogmus Michael Godfrey Mark Guzdial Jo E. Hannay Ahmed E. Hassan Israel Herraiz Kim Sebastian Herzig Cory Kapser Barbara Kitchenham Andrew Ko Lucas Layman Steve McConnell Tim Menzies Gail Murphy Nachi Nagappan Thomas J. Ostrand Dewayne Perry Marian Petre Lutz Prechelt Rahul Premraj Forrest Shull Beth Simon Diomidis Spinellis Neil Thomas Walter Tichy Burak Turhan Elaine J. Weyuker Michele A. Whitecraft Laurie Williams Wendy M. Williams Andreas Zeller Thomas Zimmermann

"This book presents new concepts regarding reliability, availability, manageability, performance, scalability, and secured-ability of applications, particularly those that run over the Web. It examines causes of failure in Web-based information system development projects, and indicates that to exploit the unprecedented opportunities offered by e-service applications, businesses and users alike need a highly available, reliable, and efficient telecommunication infrastructure"--Provided by publisher.