Programs, Life Cycles, and Laws of Software Evolution

Abstract

Absfmcr-By clppsitying programs according to their relationship to the environment m which they ne executed, the paper identities the sources of evolutionary pressure on computer r p p l i c i t i m and programs and shows why this results in a process of never ending maintenance activity. The resultant Life cyde processes ne then briefly discussed. The paper then introduces laws of Rognm Evdution that have been formulated fdlowing quantitative studies of the evolution of a number of different systems. Finally an example is pravided of the application of Evdution Dynamics models to program release plnnning.