VIII International Conference "Electronic Publications El-Pub2003"

October 8-10, 2003, Novosibirsk, Russia,
(state registration number 0320301032)

Abstracts

Graphic and textual specifications of complex control algorithms: tough opposition or cooperation?

Zyubin V.E.

Institute of automation and electrometry SB RAS (Novosibirsk)

Graphic programming languages are attractive for the specialists. The main reason for the interest is common opinion that advantage of graphic is unconditional and undoubted. Despite this, the thesis about graphic superiority has no strong experimental verification. Experimental data are inconsistent. Why in some conditions usage of graphic is effective, but in other it leads to negative results? At the beginning of high-level programming languages era, specialists pay attention to the idea that psychology can give the answer on the question. Inside that idea, the direction of science activity called Human Computer Interaction (HMI) was developed. The results exceeded all expectations. However, so far researches of ergonomic features of programming languages are not become customary.

Pragmatic questions of usage of graphic and textual forms of algorithms presentation, and especially complex algorithms, are discussed in the article. Positive and negative features of both approaches are noted from human psychology point of view and from technical viewpoint as well. Among the positive features of the graphic form, the plenty of expression means are pointed: colour (tint, saturation), size, form, texture, position, orientation. For graphic the possibility to create a metaphoric language exists. Those of approaches simplify the acquirement. Among disadvantages: bad formalizability of semantic, internal and external presentation, difficulty of work with the large-scale descriptions. Advantages of textual form are possibility of well-defined identifier system, flexibility, simplicity of formalities design, in particular, for translators. Among disadvantages - limits (comparing to graphic) of expression means. Analysis is conducted and limits of applicability both graphical and textual forms of specifications are defined. Technique of mixed specifications is proposed. The technique implies two stages. On the first stage of software design, graphic form of algorithm specification is used, on the second stage - textual form of presentation. Reasons for the technique of control algorithms design is provided.

Full Text in Russian: HTML
Note. Abstracts are published in author's edition

Comments

[Home]
[Conference]