Overview

Synopsis

In the much revised 2nd edition, Steve McConnell has updated the content and added new essays to "Professional Software Development". He writes,

Software development can be predictable, controllable, economical, and manageable. Software isn't usually developed that way, but it can be developed that way. This book is about the emerging profession of software engineering and professional software practices that support economical creation of high-quality software.

Table of Contents

Introduction
I. The Software Tarpit

Chapter 1: Wrestling with Dinosaurs
Chapter 2: Fool's Gold
Chapter 3: Cargo Cult Software Engineering
Chapter 4: Software Engineering, Not Computer Science
Chapter 5: Body of Knowledge
Chapter 6: Novum Organum

II. Individual Professionalism

Chapter 7: Orphans Preferred
Chapter 8: Raising Your Software Consciousness
Chapter 9: Building the Community
Chapter 10: Architects and Carpenters
Chapter 11: Programmer Writing

III. Organizational Professionalism

Chapter 12: Software Gold Rushes
Chapter 13: Business Case for Better Software Practices
Chapter 14: Ptolemaic Reasoning
Chapter 15: Quantifying Personnel Factors
Chapter 16: Construx's Professional Development Program

IV. Industry Professionalism

Chapter 17: Engineering a Profession
Chapter 18: Hard Knocks
Chapter 19: Stinking Badges
Chapter 20: The Professional's Code
Chapter 21: Alchemy

Praises

"Professional Software Development" is a timely successor to "After the Gold Rush" (1999). In the years since the original, we've learned that the licensing of software engineers is far more divisive than expected and Y2K was not the end of the world. Also, the new title better describes the subject material, dispelling any suggestion that it relates to the dot-com boom and bust.

Criticisms

[These criticisms are based on the draft manuscript.]

Claiming a North American focus, there's little mention of Canadian efforts, such as the accreditation program by CIPS (cips.ca), or the specialized technologist role already established in Canada (e.g., asttbc.org).

Since the profession is undergoing change, material in the book (e.g., current events) becomes dated.

Final Analysis

Like its predecessor, "Professional Software Development" fills a gap in the professional's library. It explores the miriad of issues, trends, and directions we must pursue to advance our profession.

Copyright

Copyright © 2003 Anthon Pang.

Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included in the section entitled "GNU Free Documentation License".