Building Systems from Commercial Components

I found this book to provide some very practical advice on a very difficult problem--dealing with the myriad versions of COTS products and the problems integrating them while dealing with dead-line driven schedules. Unlike other software engineering books Building Systems from Commercial Components takes a practicioners view and details out specific techniques that can be used in evaluating and integrating COTS products. I highly recommend this book.

I found most of my projects are more or less concerned about system integration since last year, and found some difficulties. Depending on the components from other vendors became a great challenge, for my experience was mostly based on designing/implementing components from scratch. This book provides a new point of view to look at the development process. The authors suggest how designs should be adapted to face the fact that the components we are to assemble are in control of others' hands, and describe several techniques for component-based development. A case study (which is a really big one) are provided for the readers to see how these techniques can be applied. The authors are true software engineers, and their in-depth knowledge and experience are presented now in their precise writing style. Software development is changing its face now. Components are everywhere, and computing is moving on the way to ubiquity. I am sure this book is a good guide for the managers and developers in this trend.

The software industry is becoming a world of components. The projects I have been working on since last year are mostly about system integration. And as I did more, I found out that the component based development methodologies I have read from the books did not work well. It was not until I found this book did I know there was an important point I was missing--I have always been using the components that already existed!The authors addressed the problems and issues one has to take into consideration when assembling pre-existing components. From the fundamental theories, to the techniques for developing compoent-based systems, and some case studies. This book provides a new point of view: we are designing for integration of components that are in control of others' hands. We need new system engineering practices in response to this challenge. The authors are all experienced in software development. I believe that the readers will enjoy the in-depth knowledges they present in this book.

I found the book to be a surprisingly interesting read...rare for heavy-duty material that takes on the topic of the design of software systems from commercial software. It contains a unique mix of practical ideas, analytical techniques, and theoretical underpinnings. In the process it offers a number of insights into modern software development practice that provide a refreshing perspective on the complexities faced by today's software engineers. I greatly enjoyed reading it. I believe there is a broad constituency of practicing software engineers, developers and academics who would gain a great deal from this book. Really nice piece of work!