Signs of a revolution in computer science and software engineering

Abstract

Several characteristics distinguish today's complex software systems from "traditional" ones. Examples in different areas show that these characteristics, already the focus of agent-oriented software engineering research, influence many application domains. These characteristics will impact how software systems are modeled and engineered. We are on the edge of a revolutionary shift of paradigm, pioneered by the multi-agent systems community, and likely to change our very attitudes in software systems modeling and engineering.