8.3-8.4

CptS 401

Adam Carter

Final Review

Similar structure to the midterm:Multiple choiceMatching (probably quotes from Daemon)Essay

Most questions will relate to chapters 5-8. Essay questions may ask you to analyze

a topic using one of the ideas discussed in chapters 1-4

Things to study Ethical Frameworks! Be knowledgeable with anything listed on

Edie’s “Potential Paper Topics” Facebook post Likely that essay questions will come from some of

these topics!

Quiz Question

The Airbus A320 designers calculated the failure rate of its computer systems to be one failure per billion flight hours. According to the book, is this calculation reasonable?

A. Yes, because it is based on the anticipated failure rates of the A320’s two independent systems.

B. Yes, because it takes into consideration millions of hours of test flight data.

C. No, because it incorrectly assumes that the A320’s two systems are entirely independent.

D. No, because the A320 does not have enough flight time to back up such an estimation.

4

Answer

C. See pp. 431-432.

5

Quiz Question

The $500 million Ariane 5 rocket was lost shortly after takeoff because

A. Engineers assumed the well-tested software that had been used on an earlier version of the rocket would work on this version of the rocket (it didn’t).

B. there was a hardware malfunction (the rocket encountered unexpected conditions and failed)

C. The software used to control the rocket had not been properly tested with the rocket’s operating system software

D. None of the above

6

Answer

A (432)

What implications does this have for promoting software reuse?

7

Quiz Question

The U.S. Government has invested $900 billion in a system to track foreign visitors to the U.S. The system is not as useful as it could be because

A. It fails adequately to keep track of visitors entering the country.

B. It fails adequately to keep track of visitors leaving the country.

C. It makes invalid assumptions about how foreign visitors move about the country.

D. Border patrol personnel don’t invest adequate amounts of time in updating its records.

8

Answer

B. See p. 433

9

Quiz Question

Which of the following was considered by the book as a way to improve software quality:

A. Regulate safety-critical software in the same way as the FDA regulates drugs.

B. Require software developers to be professionally licensed.

C. Have software companies listen to their users to ensure that they are satisfied.

D. All of the above

E. None of the above

10

Answer & Ideas D (439-440)

For safety-critical applications such as medical devices and airliner software, perhaps the software needs to gain approval from a regulatory agency (pros and cons?)

The quality of software in general may improve if software professionals are required to be licensed (pros and cons?)

“Some of the most effective standards and efforts for safety come from users. [Software] manufacturers have more incentive to satisfy customers than to satisfy government agencies”

11

Quiz Question

Poor user interface design contributed to the crash of American Airlines Flight 965 near Cali, Columbia.

A. True

B. False

12

Answer

A. True

What was the user interface issue?

13

Quiz Question

According to the textbook author, the increased use of computer technology in safety-critical applications (e.g., airplanes, cars, the workplace) has

A. Led to higher death rates.

B. Reduced death rates.

C. Has not had an impact on death rates.

14

Answer

B. See p. 444

15

Quiz Question

A key argument in favor of laws to make software companies more liable for deficiencies in their software is that such laws would

A. lower software prices and encourage innovation.

B. raise software prices and discourage innovation.

C. encourage more responsibility among software companies, leading to better software.

D. encourage more competition among software companies.

16

Answer

C (438)

17

Dueling Ideas:

If the consequences for software failures are minimal, then companies won’t invest as much in testing. Software will be cheaper and come out more frequently

If the consequences for software failures are potentially large, companies will work harder to make sure it tests software more thoroughly. Software will be more expensive and may not be updated as frequently.

Clicker Poll

Which idea do you subscribe to?

A. Require more extensive software testing

B. Keep the current system (no regulation)

Clicker Poll

Which of the solutions proposed in the book appealed to you the most?

A. Allow more lawsuits

B. Require companies to provide software warranties

C. Require additional regulation

D. Require professional licenses

E. None – The current system works fine

Clicker Poll

Are you willing to accept the potential risks of current & new technology?

A. Yes

B. No

And That’s All

Thanks everyone. Good luck on your final! Have I mentioned that you must turn in

BOTH a hard copy and digital copy of your final paper?