Software is a ubiquitous artifact, yet not much has been done to understand its ontological nature. There are a few accounts offered so far about the nature of software. I argue that none of those accounts give a plausible picture of the nature of software. I draw attention to the striking similarities between software and musical works. These similarities motivate to look more closely on the discussions regarding the nature of the musical works. With the lessons (...) drawn from the ontology of musical works I offer a novel account of the nature of software. In this account, software is an abstract artifact. I elaborate the conditions under which software comes into existence; how it persists; how and on which entities its existence depends. (shrink)

Artefacts do not always do what they are supposed to, due to a variety of reasons, including manufacturing problems, poor maintenance, and normal wear-and-tear. Since software is an artefact, it should be subject to malfunctioning in the same sense in which other artefacts can malfunction. Yet, whether software is on a par with other artefacts when it comes to malfunctioning crucially depends on the abstraction used in the analysis. We distinguish between “negative” and “positive” notions of malfunction. A (...) negative malfunction, or dysfunction, occurs when an artefact token either does not or cannot do what it is supposed to. A positive malfunction, or misfunction, occurs when an artefact token may do what is supposed to but, at least occasionally, it also yields some unintended and undesirable effects. We argue that software, understood as type, may misfunction in some limited sense, but cannot dysfunction. Accordingly, one should distinguish software from other technical artefacts, in view of their design that makes dysfunction impossible for the former, while possible for the latter. (shrink)

Software piracy is older than the PC and has been the subject of several studies, which have found it to be a widespread phenomenon in general, and among university students in particular. An earlier study by Cohen and Cornwell from a decade ago is replicated, adding questions about downloading music from the Internet. The survey includes responses from 224 students in entry-level courses at two schools, a nondenominational suburban university and a Catholic urban college with similar student profiles. The (...) study found that there has been few if any changes in student opinions regarding the unauthorized duplication of copy- righted materials. Students generally felt that copying commercial software and downloading music from the Internet was acceptable and found that there was no significant correlation between student attitudes and their school’s religious affiliation or lack thereof. Additionally, the study found that a small but significant percentage of respondents considered the other questionable behaviors as ethically acceptable. Finally, the reasons for these attitudes are discussed as well as what colleges can do to correct the situation. (shrink)

Key Statements -/- A new definition of consciousness. Consciousness is the minimal capacity to detect = feel (a) difference(s), whether in environmental conditions or internal states. -/- Reality is posited as an infinite, one-dimensional sequence of informational states, fraying into fractal complexity. This continuum has no origin in time, no final endpoint, and no external boundary. -/- Localized “Islands of Meaning”: Not all configurations appear comprehensible to us. Certain stable pockets yield phenomena that we interpret as consistent physical laws, living (...) organisms, or advanced technologies; we inhabit one of these pockets. -/- Consciousness as a Lens: Though the cosmic code is static in total, consciousness imposes a reading order that births our sense of time and development. Consciousness does not create the code but highlights specific strings as “our reality.” -> Creation of time. -/- Near Kinship of Natural and Artificial Intelligence: Both spring from the same portion of the universal code where symbol manipulation can yield adaptive, learning-based behavior. The difference is one of substrate and historical path, not fundamental principle. -/- Tree of known Intelligences: Biology, memetics, and AI form layered ‘software’ with shared roots on a unified information island, all existing within a vast sea of interconnected data flows and influences. -/- Life - a Servant of Entropy: In our pocket of informational infinity, higher-order information systems, e.g., life — as defined above — can be described as catalysts toward a state of increased entropy. Higher-order information processes, such as (biological and so-called artificial or synthetic) life and other software agents, are governed by the natural law of generating as many microstates — the amount of uncertainty or information in a system — as possible. -/- Determinism Amid Perceived Freedom: All is predetermined at the highest level, yet locally, we experience genuine choice because we lack full knowledge of how the program extends. Moral and ethical considerations remain relevant to navigate these local experiences. (shrink)

. Computational chemistry grew in a new era of “desktop modeling,” which coincided with a growing demand for modeling software, especially from the pharmaceutical industry. Parameterization of models in computational chemistry is an arduous enterprise, and we argue that this activity leads, in this specific context, to tensions among scientists regarding the epistemic opacity transparency of parameterized methods and the software implementing them. We relate one flame war from the Computational Chemistry mailing List in order to assess in (...) detail the relationships between modeling methods, parameterization, software and the various forms of their enclosure or disclosure. Our claim is that parameterization issues are an important and often neglected source of epistemic opacity and that this opacity is entangled in methods and software alike. Models and software must be addressed together to understand the epistemological tensions at stake. (shrink)

Program behaviour prediction is essential for confirming program attributes and guaranteeing system dependability. The interleaving of execution pathways caused by features like concurrency and resource restrictions makes it especially difficult to understand the behaviour of large software systems. As a result, it might be quite difficult to predict how such software would behave. We provide a Software Behaviour Prediction (SBP) model that fully captures and precisely forecasts software behaviour to overcome this difficulty. The SBP model increases (...) the precision and effectiveness of recognising target states or software behaviours by utilising the machine learning ideas of Multi-label Classification (MLC) and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks. In addition, we present a threshold determination technique intended to increase MLC task accuracy. In real-world applications, our SBP model can comprehensively and iteratively forecast the states in subsequent execution path moments, doing away with the requirement to analyse the software's starting state. This feature makes it possible for our method to forecast software behaviour more accurately and effectively than the baseline models. The outcomes of the experiment show how well the SBP model predicts several simultaneous behaviours in intricate software systems. Furthermore, the SBP model outperforms the baseline approaches in terms of resource efficiency. These results demonstrate the SBP model's applicability and potential influence in real-world situations, providing encouraging paths for strengthening software design methodologies and boosting system dependability. (shrink)

Digital artifacts often fail to perform as expected. It has recently been argued that this should not be analyzed as software malfunctioning. Rather, every case that is not the result of hardware failures would be due to design errors. This claim, which hinges on the notion of ‘implementation’, highlights a potential fundamental difference between software and other technical artifacts. It also implies that software engineers have more extensive responsibilities than creators of other artifacts. After reconstructing the argument, (...) we show that it rests on two presuppositions regarding the nature of software and the activities of its creators, which we call ‘complete control’ and ‘self-containedness’. Software is taken to be a self-contained unit through which the software engineer exerts complete control over a machine’s behavior. These two presuppositions as well as the usage of implementation and strong claims regarding responsibility can be found throughout the literature on software engineering. Still, we argue that the presuppositions are untenable in light of current practices. For one thing, software engineers cannot exert complete control because software has become too complex for any technique to reliably locate every fault in it. For another, the creation and running of software are nowadays heavily mediated processes involving many agential activities. As a result, the performance of digital artifacts may vary, often in undesirable ways, without either hardware failures or design errors. This undermines the conclusion that software cannot malfunction, while also revealing the complications in developing a metaphysical account of software that fits contemporary practices. (shrink)

The rapid expansion of cloud computing and big data has placed significant demands on data center networks (DCNs). Traditional network architectures, with their rigid infrastructure and complex management, struggle to cope with the scalability, flexibility, and automation required in modern data centers. Software-Defined Networking (SDN) has emerged as a transformative paradigm that decouples the control and data planes, enabling centralized, programmable, and more efficient network management. This survey explores the application of SDN in data center network management, covering architectural (...) models, traffic engineering, security enhancements, and virtualization support. We examine existing literature, highlight key developments, and identify future directions for research and deployment in SDN-based data centers. (shrink)

in Oct-14-1998 ordinance INDESP-IO4 established the federal software certification and verification requirements for gaming machines in Brazil. The authors present the rationale behind these criteria, whose basic principles can find applications in several other software authentication applications.

În prezent, datele sunt generate peste tot, precum YouTube, Tumblr, Reddit, Facebook, WhatsApp FacebookNS, Twitter, Instagram, Gmail, LinkedIn și Academia. Înțelegerea acestor date este foarte importantă, deoarece aceasta este o entitate crucială și foarte importantă a unei organizații, națiuni și instituții. Analiza și vizualizările seturilor de date pot oferi noi tendințe în afaceri, politică, sau intelligence, pot preveni bolile și pot modela pentru a prognoza paradigmele viitoare și a combate criminalitatea, și așa mai departe. În acest moment, cel mai utilizat (...) instrument pentru descoperirea, analiza și vizualizarea datelor, este Tableau. Tableau este unul dintre cele mai rapide instrumente de business intelligence. Este rapid de implementat, ușor de învățat și foarte util pentru un utilizator. (shrink)

The integration of information resources in the life sciences is one of the most challenging problems facing bioinformatics today. We describe how Language and Computing nv, originally a developer of ontology-based natural language understanding systems for the healthcare domain, is developing a framework for the integration of structured data with unstructured information contained in natural language texts. L&C’s LinkSuite™ combines the flexibility of a modular software architecture with an ontology based on rigorous philosophical and logical principles that is designed (...) to comprehend the basic formal relationships that structure both reality and the ways humans perceive and communicate about reality. (shrink)

The study was conducted to compare manual and computerized software techniques of data management and analysis in educational research. Specifically, the study investigated whether there was a significant difference in the results of Pearson correlation, independent t-test and ANOVA obtained from using manual and computerized software technique of data analyses. Three null hypotheses were formulated accordingly to guide the study. The study adopted a quasi-experimental research design where several data were generated by the researchers and analyzed using manual (...) and computerized software techniques. The data were generated to suit the required data of each statistical method of analysis. CASIO fx-991ES PLUS NATURAL DISPLAY scientific calculator and statistical tables were used for manual analysis; while data analysis tool pack of Microsoft Excel version 2013 were used for computerized software analysis. The results of the analysis revealed that both manual and computerized software techniques yielded the same results for Pearson correlation, independent t-test and ANOVA. It was concluded that though both manual and computerized techniques are reliable and dependable, computerized technique is faster and efficient in managing and analyzing data than manual technique. It was recommended, among other things, that any of the techniques should be used without fear when computing Pearson, independent t-test and one-way ANOVA as it is the same results that will be gotten. (shrink)

Open-content communities that focus on co-creation without requirements for entry have to face the issue of institutional trust in contributors. This research investigates the various ways in which these communities manage this issue. It is shown that communities of open-source software—continue to—rely mainly on hierarchy (reserving write-access for higher echelons), which substitutes (the need for) trust. Encyclopedic communities, though, largely avoid this solution. In the particular case of Wikipedia, which is confronted with persistent vandalism, another arrangement has been pioneered (...) instead. Trust (i.e. full write-access) is ‘backgrounded’ by means of a permanent mobilization of Wikipedians to monitor incoming edits. Computational approaches have been developed for the purpose, yielding both sophisticated monitoring tools that are used by human patrollers, and bots that operate autonomously. Measures of reputation are also under investigation within Wikipedia; their incorporation in monitoring efforts, as an indicator of the trustworthiness of editors, is envisaged. These collective monitoring efforts are interpreted as focusing on avoiding possible damage being inflicted on Wikipedian spaces, thereby being allowed to keep the discretionary powers of editing intact for all users. Further, the essential differences between backgrounding and substituting trust are elaborated. Finally it is argued that the Wikipedian monitoring of new edits, especially by its heavy reliance on computational tools, raises a number of moral questions that need to be answered urgently. (shrink)

In a country as linguistically diverse as India, the demand for localized video content is rapidly increasing. Dubbing English videos into Indian languages, such as Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Bengali, is critical to making content accessible to wider audiences. This paper presents a software solution that automates the dubbing process using a combination of technologies like Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR), Machine Translation (MT), andText-to-Speech (TTS). The process begins by converting English audio into text using ASR, followed by translation into (...) the target Indian language through advanced Natural Language Processing (NLP) models. The translated text is then synthesized into natural-sounding speech using TTS engines like Google Text-to-Speech (gTTS). Finally, the dubbed audio is synchronized with the original video to ensure proper lip-sync and timing. This automated approach streamlines the dubbing process, reducing time and cost while maintaining translation accuracy, voice quality, and synchronization. The software offers an efficient solution for content creators, businesses, and educators looking to expand their reach across India’s multilingual population. (shrink)

Hacker communities of the 1970s and 1980s developed a quite characteristic work ethos. Its norms are explored and shown to be quite similar to those which Robert Merton suggested govern academic life: communism, universalism, disinterestedness, and organized scepticism. In the 1990s the Internet multiplied the scale of these communities, allowing them to create successful software programs like Linux and Apache. After renaming themselves the `open source software' movement, with an emphasis on software quality, they succeeded in gaining (...) corporate interest. As one of the main results, their `open' practices have entered industrial software production. The resulting clash of cultures, between the more academic CUDOS norms and their corporate counterparts, is discussed and assessed. In all, the article shows that software practices are a fascinating seedbed for the genesis of work ethics of various kinds, depending on their societal context. (shrink)

Plagiarism is malpractice, the fabrication of others’ “ideas or work” published without the proper permission or citation of the original contributors. Plagiarism is detected through different software, i.e., Turnitin, before publishing any research data. The present survey study assesses whether academicians, researchers, and scholars around the world perceive this software as a creator or destroyer of new thoughts and ideas. A survey of this research data was conducted with academicians, researchers, and scholars around the globe. The number of (...) respondents is 1100, including 688 teaching professionals, 347 non-teaching, and 65 others. The present study finds that 82.7 per cent of research professionals mentioned that plagiarism could be appropriately citable. 76.7 per cent suggested that plagiarism can be completely avoidable, and 72.4 per cent has been proposed to be punishable. The study also described that plagiarism software is a good, efficient, and effective creator for new ideas. (shrink)

Speech sound disorders (SSD) significantly affect language development, particularly in non-native or multilingual environments like India. While traditional methods have been useful, they often lack the flexibility, accessibility, and personalized approach that modern technology can offer. This research proposes the development of a web-based application designed to intervene in speech sound disorders for Hindi and English speakers. The software will incorporate speech recognition, interactive feedback, and progress tracking, tailored to individual needs. Features include audio analysis, visual cues, and personalized (...) phonetic exercises for improving pronunciation and speech clarity. The platform will support speech assessments, provide customized corrective exercises, and offer detailed performance reports, aiming to enhance learning outcomes for users of all ages and linguistic backgrounds. (shrink)

Software-Defined Networking (SDN) has emerged as a transformative paradigm in the evolution of modern networks by decoupling the control plane from the data plane. This paper explores the integration of SDN within an OpenStack-based private cloud environment. The research identifies the challenges faced during implementation, such as scalability, security, and interoperability, and proposes solutions based on current academic and industrial advancements. A detailed case study of an SDN deployment on an OpenStack cloud is presented, offering insights into architecture, tools, (...) and performance trade-offs. The paper concludes with a discussion on the future direction of SDN technologies in private cloud ecosystems. (shrink)

Software-Defined Networking (SDN) is a revolutionary paradigm that decouples the control plane from the data plane in networking, allowing centralized management and dynamic configuration. This paper provides an introduction to SDN, its architecture, components, and benefits. It also explores existing literature, methodologies for implementing SDN, its background, and potential future research directions. The findings suggest that SDN enhances network flexibility, programmability, and security while reducing operational costs.

The comprehensive nature of information and insight available in the Upanishads, the Indian philosophical systems like the Advaita Philosophy, Sabdabrahma Siddhanta, Sphota Vaada and the Shaddarsanas, in relation to the idea of human consciousness, mind and its functions, cognitive science and scheme of human cognition and communication are presented. All this is highlighted with vivid classification of conscious-, cognitive-, functional- states of mind; by differentiating cognition as a combination of cognitive agent, cognizing element, cognized element; formation; form and structure of (...) cognition, instruments and means of cognition, validity of cognition and the nature of energy/matter which facilitates and also is the medium of cognition- cognizing process; and also as the container and content of cognition. The human communication process which is just the reverse of cognizing process is also presented with necessary description and detail. The sameness of cognitive / communicative process during language acquisition and communication processes and the modes of language acquisition and communication are also given. The hardware and software of human cognition, language acquisition and communication as envisaged in Indian spiritual and philosophical expressions are given. In the light of the information and insight obtained as above, the axioms for human cognition / communication are formed, framed and presented. A brain-wave frequency modulation / demodulation model of human cognition, communication and language acquisition and communication process based on Upanishadic expressions, Shaddarsanas and Sabdabrahma Siddhhanta is defined and discussed here. The use of these theories and models and axioms in mind-machine modelling and natural language comprehension branch of artificial intelligence will be put forward and highlighted. (shrink)

In the dynamic landscape of modern software development, the integration of Quality Assurance (QA) with advanced analytics and metrics is redefining the paradigms of software quality engineering. This paper delves into the strategic role of QA metrics and analytics in enabling data driven decisions, which foster a proactive and predictive approach to quality management. Traditional QA processes, often plagued by subjective assessments and reactive defect handling, are being replaced by evidence-based frameworks that utilize cutting-edge technologies such as machine (...) learning (ML), artificial intelligence (AI), and real-time dashboards. Key performance indicators (KPIs) like Defect Removal Efficiency (DRE), Mean Time to Repair (MTTR), and automation coverage provide a granular understanding of the development pipeline. Predictive analytics models, integrated within CI/CD pipelines, leverage historical defect trends and code complexity metrics to forecast potential failure points, optimize resource allocation, and reduce time-to-market. Furthermore, prescriptive analytics equips QA teams with actionable insights, recommending remediation paths and improving decision-making agility. This paper underscores the transformative potential of QA analytics in driving efficiency and reliability across software ecosystems. It also highlights challenges, such as overcoming data silos, ensuring cross-platform compatibility, and addressing skill gaps in QA teams. The study presents a comprehensive metrics framework, explores state-of-the-art tools and methodologies, and includes a case study demonstrating a 40% reduction in production defects using advanced analytics. Finally, the paper proposes future directions, including ethical QA analytics, real-time quality dashboards, and deeper integration with DevSecOps workflows. By adopting these innovations, organizations can align QA objectives with business goals, achieving enhanced customer satisfaction, minimized defect leakage, and optimized development cycles. This shift represents not merely an enhancement of existing practices but a fundamental evolution of the QA discipline, positioning it as a critical driver of technological and organizational excellence. (shrink)

Software patents are commonly criticised for being fuzzy, context-sensitive, and often granted for trivial inventions. More often than not, these shortcomings are said to be caused by the abstract nature of software - with little further analysis offered. Drawing on Plato’s Parmenides, this paper will argue (1) that the reason why software patents seem to be elusive is that patent law suggests to think about algorithms as paradigmatic examples and (2) that Plato’s distinction between two modes of (...) predication and the role of competence in his account of knowledge are helpful not only for conceptualising knowledge of algorithms, but also for understanding the limits of software patent regimes. (shrink)

Software engineering is a dynamic field that is always evolving to meet the demands of difficult software development projects. This journal article investigates contemporary software engineering methodologies, tools, and best practices in order to enhance the efficiency, quality, and dependability of software development processes. We discuss the most recent advancements in quality assurance, DevOps, agile software development, and automated testing. We also look at the role that cooperation, communication, and project management have in efficient (...) class='Hi'>software engineering methods. By highlighting these advances, this article aims to promote the delivery of high-quality software products and improve software development processes. (shrink)

Software Defined Networking (SDN) is a novel network paradigm that intelligently manages the network's resources. The global view of a network is achieved through the separation of the data plane and network control. The abstraction of the network to its application and services is facilitated by the logically centralized control plane. SDN offers the potential to enhance network performance by utilizing the information exchanged between various layers in the network architecture and feedback control, which is facilitated by a global (...) view of the network. SDN enables the network administrator to configure the network from a single point using software control. The entire network can be configured through programming and is dynamically optimized based on the network status. OpenFlow-based SDN technologies offer improved orchestration of network resources, are adaptable to evolving business requirements, and reduce operational complexities. The Network Function Virtualization (NFV) paradigm virtualizes the networking functions, similar to the hypervisors used for compute functions, and implements the entire suite of networking services as Virtual Machines (VMs). This article provides a comprehensive examination of the influence of Software-Defined Networks on data centers that are enabled by Cloud Computing. This article provides a performance comparison of ONOS and ODL data controllers on a variety of parameters, including throughput, jitter, and loss. (shrink)

The combination of software architecture evolutions and cloud computing and cyber-physical systems creates advanced complexity when ensuring software reliability and security and efficiency. The once typical software quality assurance (SQA) practices using manual reviews and isolated testing methods fail to provide acceptable modern results anymore. This study develops a multimodal software quality assurance enhancement approach which combines static analysis together with dynamic testing and AI anomaly detection techniques. Software quality examines both potential defects alongside security (...) vulnerabilities through code-level static analysis before running the program while dynamic testing evaluates real-time functionalities and security features. AI-based anomaly detection systems develop through machine learning models which help software testing teams by predicting failures as well as detecting security threats and adjusting testing strategies in real-time. When these technologies work together it reduces undetected defects while attaining higher software security and quality levels and decreasing testing requirements. The paper explores implementation barriers together with ethical matters and evolving AI-powered software testing patterns while discussing the future trajectory of automated predictive and adaptive SQA methods. (shrink)

In this paper, we have developed an Excel package to be utilized for calculating neutrosophic data and analyze them. The use of object oriented programming techniques and concepts as they may apply to the design and development a new framework to implement neutrosophic data operations, the c# programming language, NET Framework and Microsoft Visual Studio are used to implement the neutrosophic classes. We have used Excel as it is a powerful tool that is widely accepted and used for statistical analysis. (...) Figure 1 shows Class Diagram of the implemented package. Figure 2 presents a working example of the package interface calculating the complement. Our implemented Neutrosophic package can calculate Intersection, Union, and Complement of the neutrosophic set. Figure 3 presents our neutrosophic package capability to draw figures of presented neutrosophic set. Figure 4 presents charting of Union operation calculation, and figure 5 Intersection Operation. neutrosophic set are characterized by its efficiency as it takes into consideration the three data items: True, Intermediate, and False. -/- . (shrink)

Many undergraduates, philosophy majors included, read philosophical texts similar to the way they read stories. One method for teaching students how to discern the argumentative structure of a philosophy text is through argument diagrams (text boxes used to represent claims with arrows and lines used to represent connections between these claims). This paper provides criteria for an ideal argument diagramming software and then reviews the strengths and weaknesses of such software currently available, e.g. Araucaria, Argutect, Athena Standard, Inspiration, (...) and Reason!Able. (shrink)

In the last two decades, software process modeling has been an area of interest within both academia and industry. Software process modeling aims at defining and representing software processes in the form of models. A software process model represents the medium that allows better understanding, management and control of the software process. Software process metamodeling rather, provides standard metamodels which enable the defining of customized software process models for a specific project in hand (...) by instantiation. Several software process modeling/meta-modeling languages have been introduced to formalize software process models. Nonetheless, none of them has managed to introduce a compatible yet precise language to include all necessary concepts and information for software process modeling. This paper presents Software Process Meta-Modeling and Notation (SP2MN); a meta-modeling language that provides simple and expressive graphical notations for the aim of software process modeling. SP2MN has been evaluated based upon the well-known ISPW-6 process example, a standard benchmark problem for software process modeling. SP2MN has proved that it presents a valid and expressive software process modeling language. (shrink)

Computational reproducibility possesses its own dynamics and narratives of crisis. Alongside the difficulties of computing as an ubiquitous yet complex scientific activity, computational reproducibility suffers from a naive expectancy of total reproducibility and a moral imperative to embrace the principles of free software as a non-negotiable epistemic virtue. We argue that the epistemic issues at stake in actual practices of computational reproducibility are best unveiled by focusing on software as a pivotal concept, one that is surprisingly often overlooked (...) in accounts of reproducibility issues. Software is not only about designing and coding but also about maintaining, supporting, distributing, licensing, and governance; it is not only about developers but also about users. We focus on openness debates among computational chemists involved in molecular modeling software packages as empirical grounding for our argument. We then identify and analyse four epistemic characteristics as key to the role of software in computational reproducibility. (shrink)

Software design patterns have become integral to modern software engineering, offering reusable solutions to common design challenges. These patterns simplify development, promote scalability, and improve system maintainability by providing established frameworks for solving recurring problems. This paper presents a comprehensive review of recent advancements in software design patterns, covering research published between 2018 and 2024. It examines the classification of design patterns into creational, structural, and behavioral categories, highlighting their applications in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (...) (AI)-based systems, microservice architectures, and container orchestration frameworks. The review explores practical implementations, evaluates the effectiveness of patterns in improving performance and reliability, and identifies challenges such as pattern misuse, detection difficulties, and anti-pattern occurrences. The study also investigates ethical considerations in design pattern adoption and discusses recent trends like AI-assisted pattern detection tools and security-driven patterns. Findings emphasize the transformative role of design patterns in addressing modern software development needs while underscoring gaps in automation and ethical design practices. This paper concludes with suggestions for future research directions, including improved frameworks for reusability, automated pattern recognition systems, and ethical design frameworks to address contemporary challenges in software engineering. (shrink)

English - language Wikipedia is constantly being plagued by vandalistic contributions on a massive scale. In order to fight them its volunteer contributors deploy an array of software tools and autonomous bots. After an analysis of their functioning and the ‘ coactivity ’ in use between humans and bots, this research ‘ discloses ’ the moral issues that emerge from the combined patrolling by humans and bots. Administrators provide the stronger tools only to trusted users, thereby creating a new (...) hierarchical layer. Further, surveillance exhibits several troubling features : questionable profiling practices, the use of the controversial measure of reputation, ‘ oversurveillance ’ where quantity trumps quality, and a prospective loss of the required moral skills whenever bots take over from humans. The most troubling aspect, though, is that Wikipedia has become a Janus - faced institution. One face is the basic platform of MediaWiki software, transparent to all. Its other face is the anti - vandalism system, which, in contrast, is opaque to the average user, in particular as a result of the algorithms and neural networks in use. Finally it is argued that this secrecy impedes a much needed discussion to unfold ; a discussion that should focus on a ‘ rebalancing ’ of the anti - vandalism system and the development of more ethical information practices towards contributors. (shrink)

Interactions between an intelligent software agent and a human user are ubiquitous in everyday situations such as access to information, entertainment, and purchases. In such interactions, the ISA mediates the user’s access to the content, or controls some other aspect of the user experience, and is not designed to be neutral about outcomes of user choices. Like human users, ISAs are driven by goals, make autonomous decisions, and can learn from experience. Using ideas from bounded rationality, we frame these (...) interactions as instances of an ISA whose reward depends on actions performed by the user. Such agents benefit by steering the user’s behaviour towards outcomes that maximise the ISA’s utility, which may or may not be aligned with that of the user. Video games, news recommendation aggregation engines, and fitness trackers can all be instances of this general case. Our analysis facilitates distinguishing various subcases of interaction, as well as second-order effects that might include the possibility for adaptive interfaces to induce behavioural addiction, and/or change in user belief. We present these types of interaction within a conceptual framework, and review current examples of persuasive technologies and the issues that arise from their use. We argue that the nature of the feedback commonly used by learning agents to update their models and subsequent decisions could steer the behaviour of human users away from what benefits them, and in a direction that can undermine autonomy and cause further disparity between actions and goals as exemplified by addictive and compulsive behaviour. We discuss some of the ethical, social and legal implications of this technology and argue that it can sometimes exploit and reinforce weaknesses in human beings. (shrink)

In this section, we will start with an influential attempt to define `intelligence', and then we will move to a consideration of how human intelligence is to be investigated on the machine model. The last part of the section will discuss the relation between the mental and the biological.

More Info: B. Plawgo, A. Grabska, M. Klimczuk-Kochańska, A. Klimczuk, J. Kierklo, J. Żynel-Etel, Startery podlaskiej gospodarki. Analiza gospodarczych obszarów wzrostu i innowacji województwa podlaskiego: sektor produkcji oprogramowania komputerowego (Podlasie economy starters. Analysis of economic growth and innovation areas of Podlaskie: software production sector), Wojewódzki Urząd Pracy w Białymstoku, Białystok 2011.

Una imagen muy generalizada a la hora de entender el software de computador es la que lo representa como una “caja negra”: no importa realmente saber qué partes lo componen internamente, sino qué resultados se obtienen de él según ciertos valores de entrada. Al hacer esto, muchos problemas filosóficos son ocultados, negados o simplemente mal entendidos. Este artículo discute tres unidades de análisis del software de computador, esto es, las especificaciones, los algoritmos y los procesos computacionales. El objetivo (...) central es entender las prácticas cientficas e ingenieriles detrás de cada unidad de software, así como analizar su metodología, ontología y epistemología. (shrink)

Two property regimes for software development may be distinguished. Within corporations, on the one hand, a Private Regime obtains which excludes all outsiders from access to a firm's software assets. It is shown how the protective instruments of secrecy and both copyright and patent have been strengthened considerably during the last two decades. On the other, a Public Regime among hackers may be distinguished, initiated by individuals, organizations or firms, in which source code is freely exchanged. It is (...) argued that copyright is put to novel use here: claiming their rights, authors write `open source licenses' that allow public usage of the code, while at the same time regulating the inclusion of users. A `regulated commons' is created. The analysis focuses successively on the most important open source licenses to emerge, the problem of possible incompatibility between them (especially as far as the dominant General Public License is concerned), and the fragmentation into several user communities that may result. (shrink)

In an increasingly interconnected world, language barriers continue to hinder effective communication across diverse populations. BharathLingo addresses this challenge by offering a user-friendly text translation platform specifically designed to facilitate translation between English and multiple Indian regional languages such as Hindi, Telugu, Bengali, Tamil, and more. Developed using Flask and powered by machine translation algorithms, BharathLingo allows users to input text manually or upload files for translation, delivering instant and accurate translations. The platform’s seamless interface and commitment to privacy make (...) it an ideal solution for students, professionals, and travellers seeking to bridge linguistic divides. This paper outlines the architecture, design choices, and challenges of developing BharathLingo, including its deployment using the Waitress web server. (shrink)

Software-Defined Networking (SDN) represents a paradigm shift in network architecture by decoupling the control plane from the data plane, thereby enabling centralized control, dynamic programmability, and enhanced flexibility. Cloud computing, with its demand for scalable, agile, and efficient resource provisioning, stands to benefit substantially from the capabilities offered by SDN. This paper explores the integration of SDN into cloud computing environments, examining how SDN can optimize cloud network management, improve resource allocation, and strengthen security measures. Through a comprehensive review (...) of existing literature, the study highlights key advancements where SDN has enhanced cloud operations, such as traffic engineering, automated provisioning, and real-time network monitoring. Additionally, the paper identifies significant challenges, including scalability limitations, security vulnerabilities, and the complexity of orchestration between SDN controllers and cloud platforms. Future research directions are discussed, focusing on the need for more intelligent control mechanisms, robust security frameworks, and standardized integration models to fully realize the potential of SDN in cloud ecosystems. By critically analyzing current developments and outlining emerging trends, this paper aims to provide a clearer understanding of the pivotal role SDN plays in shaping the next generation of cloud computing infrastructures. (shrink)

Sabdabrahma Siddhanta, popularized by Patanjali and Bhartruhari will be scientifically analyzed. Sphota Vada, proposed and nurtured by the Sanskrit grammarians will be interpreted from modern physics and communication engineering points of view. Insight about the theory of language and modes of language acquisition and communication available in the Brahma Kanda of Vakyapadeeyam will be translated into modern computational terms. A flowchart of language processing in humans will be given. A gross model of human language acquisition, comprehension and communication process forming (...) the basis to develop software for relevant mind-machine modeling will be presented. The implications of such a model to artificial intelligence and cognitive sciences will be discussed. The essentiality and necessity of a physics, communication engineering , biophysical and biochemical insight as both complementary and supplementary to using mathematical and computational methods in delineating the theory of Sanskrit language is put forward. Natural language comprehension as distinct and different from natural language processing is pointed out. (shrink)

It has become a fact that fluency and competency in utilizing the advancement of technology, specifically the computer and the internet is one way that could help in facilitating learning in mathematics. This study investigated the effects of Dynamic Geometry Software (DGS) and Computer Algebra Systems (CAS) in teaching Mathematics. This was conducted in Zamboanga del Sur National High School (ZSNHS) during the third grading period of the school year 2015-2016. The study compared the achievement and attitude towards Mathematics (...) between those students taught with DGS and CAS and those students who were taught without DGS and CAS. A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest control group design was used with two groups which was matched according to their mathematical level. An achievement test was developed and administered to assess the students’ achievement in Mathematics. Aiken’s attitude scale was also used to assess the students’ attitude towards Mathematics. The data were treated with One-Way Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) and t-test at 0.05 level of significance. The study revealed a significant difference between the mathematics achievement between students taught with DGS and CAS and those who were taught without it. The integration of DGS and CAS in Mathematics lessons leads to better academic achievement result compared with that of the conventional method of teaching. Moreover, there was no significant difference on the attitude level of the students between the two groups. (shrink)

Generative AI models, such as OpenAI’s Codex and Google’s BERT, have revolutionized software development by automating code generation, bug detection, code completion, and refactoring. These models use natural language processing (NLP) techniques, deep learning, and neural networks to assist developers in enhancing productivity and improving code quality. This paper explores the applications of generative AI in software development, analyzes current advancements, and evaluates their implications for the future of coding. The study highlights how generative AI can reduce human (...) error, increase efficiency, and enable the next generation of intelligent development tools. (shrink)

Conceptual modeling of a portion of the world is a necessary prerequisite to set the stage and define software system boundaries. In this context, one of the challenges is to provide a unified framework to create a comprehensive representation of the targeted domain. According to many researchers, conceptual model (CM) development is a hard task, and system requirements are difficult to collect, causing many miscommunication problems. Accordingly, CMs require more than modeling ability alone: they first require an understanding of (...) the targeted domain that the model attempts to represent. Accordingly, a preconceptual modeling (pre-CM) stage is intended to address ontological issues before typical CM development is initiated. It involves defining a portion of reality when entities and processes are differentiated and integrated as unified wholes. This pre-CM phase forms the focus of research in this paper. The purpose is not show how to model; rather, it is to demonstrate how to establish a metaphysical basis of the involved portion of reality. To demonstrate such a venture, we employ the so-called thinging machine (TM) modeling that has been proposed as a high-level CM. A TM model integrates staticity and dynamism grounded in a fundamental construct called a thimac (things/machine). It involves two modes of reality, existence (events) and subsistence (regions: roughly, specifications of things and processes). Currently, the dominant approach in CM has evolved to limit its scope of application to develop ontological categorization (types of things). In contrast, advocates of TM modeling have pursued a broader metaphysical study of the nature of the domain’s things and processes beyond categorization. In the TM approach, pre-CM metaphysics is viewed as a part and parcel of CM itself. The general research problem is how to map TM constructs to what is out there in the targeted domain. Discussions involve the nature of thimacs (things and processes) and subsistence and existence as they are superimposed over each other in reality. Specifically, we make two claims, (i) the perceptibility of regions as a phenomenon and (ii) the distinctiveness of existence as a construct for events. The results contribute to further the understanding of TM modeling in addition to introducing some metaphysical insights. (shrink)

This article attempts to comprehend the current issues and hurdles that Indian colleges affiliated with Tamil Nadu State Universities encounter when trying to subscribe to a software that detects plagiarism. The study’s goals are to determine whether colleges employ anti-plagiarism software, whether they ensure that their student-given assignments are free of copyright infringement, whether tutors teach about academic misconduct, and what people seem to think of anti-plagiarism software. We surveyed for this study and distributed the questionnaires among (...) college administrators, principals, and librarians. The study respondents are 15.9 per cent principals, 64.2 per cent library professionals, and 19.9 per cent college administrators. The survey study report shows that 70.9 per cent of the majority of the colleges did not subscribe. 41.7 per cent gave the reason it is too expensive, and 30.5 per cent of respondents thought that for their college, it is unnecessary to subscribe. However, nobody has confirmed whether or not all colleges possess access to plagiarism detection software. Thus, according to this investigation, further Indian states must be involved in this research to understand the specific context fully. This report advises the UGC to enforce the requirement that colleges have plagiarism detection software; they either provide colleges additional money to subscribe to such software, or the university must grant free access to the affiliated colleges. (shrink)

Software-Defined Networking (SDN) has transformed data center network (DCN) architectures by enabling centralized control, dynamic configuration, and programmable network management. However, the decoupling of control and data planes introduces new security challenges, including controller compromise, flow rule manipulation, and inter-tenant data leakage. This paper proposes a comprehensive security evaluation framework tailored for SDN-based data centers. The framework identifies key threat vectors, classifies attack surfaces, and provides a methodology for evaluating resilience against attacks. By integrating security metrics such as availability, (...) integrity, confidentiality, and attack detection rate, the framework offers a standardized approach to assess and compare SDN implementations in data center environments. (shrink)

The fundamental purpose of software testing is to develop new test case sets that demonstrate the software product's deficiencies. Upon preparation of the test cases, the Test Oracle delineates the expected program behavior for each scenario. The application's correct functioning and its properties will be assessed by prioritizing test cases and running its components, which delineate inputs, actions, and outputs. The prioritization methods include initial ordering, random ordering, and reverse ranking based on fault detection capabilities. software application (...) development often used a test suite, which was less well recognized as a suite for validating software correctness. Each test case set in the suite had distinct instructions and goals based on the system and its configuration that were evaluated. This article presents a Generative AI artificial neural network model for automated software testing based on particle swarm optimization. Generative AI is the method by which computers use existing data, including text, audio/video files, images, and code, to produce new material. An artificial neural network (ANN) is a complex adaptive system capable of altering its internal structure in response to the information it processes. Precisely manipulate the connection and its weight to achieve optimal accuracy. The PSO is a heuristic, population-based global optimization method. (shrink)

n this paper, stakeholder misalignment as a cause of failure in software projects is explored. Various parties such as clients, developers, project managers, and users have varying thoughts, objectives, and working styles when it comes to software projects. When two or more such parties are not on the same page or comprehending one another, the result is misalignment. This discrepancy can cause issues such as ill-defined project objectives, ill-defined or shifting requirements, inadequate communication, and inefficient utilization of time, (...) funds, and other resources. These issues can lead to postponed projects, budget overruns, or even project failure. This research consolidates research articles on both Agile and conventional project management to identify why these issues occur and with what frequency. It demonstrates that obtaining stakeholder consensus on project objectives upfront, composing clear and complete requirements, maintaining frequent and open communication, and being capable of utilizing resources flexibly can prevent the majority of these issues. The article provides actionable guidance to project managers to minimize misalignment, enhance collaboration, and make projects more probable to be completed successfully, on schedule, and within budget. (shrink)

Modern computing is generally taken to consist primarily of symbol manipulation. But symbols are abstract, and computers are physical. How can a physical device manipulate abstract symbols? Neither Church nor Turing considered this question. My answer is that the bit, as a hardware-implemented abstract data type, serves as a bridge between materiality and abstraction. Computing also relies on three other primitive—but more straightforward—abstractions: Sequentiality, State, and Transition. These physically-implemented abstractions define the borderline between hardware and software and between physicality (...) and abstraction. At a deeper level, asking how a physical device can interact with abstract symbols is the wrong question. The relationship between symbols and physical devices begins with the realization that human beings already know what it means to manipulate symbols. We build and program computers to do what we understand to be symbol manipulation. To understand what that means, consider a light switch. A light switch doesn’t turn a light on or off. Those are abstractions. Light switches don’t operate with abstractions. We build light switches, so that when flipped, the world is changed in such a way that we understand the light to be on or off. Similarly, we build computers to perform operations that we understand as manipulating symbols. (shrink)

Create a novel network model for mobile ad hoc network (MANET) nodes and actors in wireless sensor networks to collaborate on event processing. There are two stages in the development of distributed algorithms: setup and negotiation. The first uses weighted proportional max-min fairness to initially allocate MANET nodes across event zones, whereas the latter uses a market-based method to re-distribute the number of MANET nodes based on existing and new events. A detection technique for malicious packet dropping attacks in MANETs. (...) The mechanism of the suggested approach is Collaborative Convolutional Neural Network (CCNN), which is based on the reputation value computed for that node by its neighbours. A node's reputation value is determined by its network packet forwarding behaviour. The reputation information is collected, saved, and transferred between nodes before being calculated under various scenarios. A network simulator was used to test the proposed protocol. The simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of its performance. Even in the presence of cryptographic procedures, our method incurs negligible network bandwidth and latency costs. Moreover, we demonstrate that the protection is still effective in the presence of misbehaving nodes and routing changes caused by mobility. While further research is needed to thoroughly evaluate our method, we feel that the concept of collaborative security in MANETs is a potential future area. (shrink)

As the newest, most savvy technology domain, Large Language Models (LLMs) are the technological force which is now revolutionizing Automated Code Review and Software Quality Assurance, making the context aware analysis, adaptive learning, and the intelligent recommendations. However, traditional code review methods are not only time consuming, but also prone to human error and are not scalable. The use of LLMs in software engineering allows for the detection of defects, optimization of performance and the maintenance of improve mental (...) quality. In this study, we examine the path of automated code review, LLM capabilities and the effect they have on software quality. LLMs clearly have great advantages, but accuracy is still a concern, false positives abound, biases lurk, and computation can be a constraint. The research also identifies areas of future advancement on the hybrid AI-human review systems as well as improved LLM architectures that understand the code significantly better for more robust reviews. (shrink)