Textbooks and Other Resources for CSC 402



Required Text:

  1. Wiegers, Software Requirements, 2nd Edition, Microsoft Press, 2003
  2. Jackson, Software Requirements and Specifications, Addison-Wesley, 1998
  3. Yourdon, Death March, Prentice-Hall, 1997
Note that you are responsible to find copies of the textbooks, they have not been ordered by our bookstore.  Get them as soon as possible.  Check with me if you are in financial trouble and believe you must share books.  I'll assume everyone has access to each text at all times in some form.

Notice also that the textbooks are listed in order of relative importance.  I expect you'll read (and use) Wiegers cover to cover and use it as a manual.  You will be expected to read the Jackson text in parts, on your own, and may be assigned short presentations on a particular section of this book.  It is a thought-provoking view from the top regarding software requirements and specifications, good for higher level guidance.  The Yourdon text may not be referenced often during the course.  I expect that you will read it cover to cover by the end of the quarter (I recommend that you read it early, it is an easy, and often entertaining, read!)  It is a very funny but realistic view of a popular culture of software engineering that we'll often need to face and the book contains good advice for the resulting problems.

I do not teach "out of the text" and will assume you use the text to supplement (and contrast to) my lecture materiale.  I sometimes disagree with the text and I want to expose you to various viewpoints. 

Highly Recommended Materiale:

  1. Weinberg, The Psychology of Computer Programming, Dorset House1998.
  2. Parnas, "A Rational Design Process: How and Why to Fake It," (find the article!)
  3. Brooks, "The Mythical Man-Month," (find the article!)
  4. Ludi, "A Student Survival Guide," (local)

Further materiale thoughts:

  1. Go out and find out about Trimble Corp, what they build and why.
  2. Learn a little about GPS from whatever perspective interests you (marketing, RF, interface, design, ...)
  3. Review your textbooks briefly so that you know what they're about.
  4. Check on your instructor's academic and industry "pedigree" and see if you can understand what makes him tick :-)
  5. Especially check on your instructor's research page for published research regarding Cal Poly's Capstone Sequence - give it a brief read.