Software evolution and the moving picture metaphor

Software systems evolve over time. Currently we do not do a good job of documenting this evolution. This essay discusses the need to better document software evolution and introduces the Moving Picture Metaphor. Source Control Management systems are more like collections of still photographs than moving pictures. Still photography is not ideal when trying to capture evolutional changes. Moving pictures do a much better job. A storyteller can use moving pictures to tell compelling stories that are easier to digest than traditional documentation. We can learn a great deal from watching stories that document a system’s evolution. Categories and Subject Descriptors D.2.7 [Distribution, Maintenance, and Enhancement] General Terms Documentation. Keywords Software Evolution, Source Control Management.

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2009
• Where: OOPSLA
• Authors: Mark Mahoney
• Keywords: Document Software Evolution, OOPSLA 2009, Software Evolution, Source Control Management