The 28th IPP Symposium

Components: Where We Are, Why We Got Here and Where We Might Go

Shriram Krishnamurthi

Half the problem with a new technology is simply defining what it is and how it differs from what it isn't. Component technology is no stranger to this difficulty, or to the sibling perils of hype and abuse of terminology.

In this talk I give my views on what components are, how they are the consequence of an inevitable trend in software technology and user expectations, and what simple models we can use to reason about them. I also discuss some of the component-oriented research in progress at Brown and establish a context for the rest of the day's talks and discussions.