Darrel Ince

Discusses the basic components of computers; how increasingly miniature parts have led to products, applications, and networks that solve problems; the issues that increased connectivity has produced; and some of the emerging technologies in the field.

The Computer: A Very Short Introduction

There is a companion web site asssociated with the book (http://vsicomputer.wordpress.com/). It contains chapter summaries, links to relevant material and posts about items of news relevant to the book's contents. Computers have changed so much since the room-filling, bulky magnetic tape running monsters of the mid 20th century. They now form a vital part of most people's lives. And they are more ubiquitous than might be thought - you may have more than 30 computers in your home: not just the desktop and laptop but think of the television, the fridge, the microwave. But what is the basic nature of the modern computer? How does it work? How has it been possible to squeeze so much power into increasingly small machines? And what will the next generations of computers look like? In this Very Short Introduction, Darrel Ince looks at the basic concepts behind all computers; the changes in hardware and software that allowed computers to become so small and commonplace; the challenges produced by the computer revolution - especially whole new modes of cybercrime and security issues; the Internet and the advent of 'cloud computing'; and the promise of whole new horizons opening up with quantum computing, and even computing using DNA. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

David Coward

The SYM-BOL System

The Symbolic Execution of Software

Formal specification is the name given to the use of discrete mathematics in computer science for describing the function of both hardware and software systems. Poor specification often gives rise to severe problems in software and hardware installation. This textbook is an introduction toboth the theory and practice of formal specification, and this new edition includes two new chapters on Z, one giving a number of small examples in Z, the other covering design and Z. Prerequisites in this edition have been kept to a minimum since Professor Ince is at pains to develop the techniquesof requirement analysis and discrete mathematics that are needed. Throughout the book are numerous worked examples and exercises which include many real examples of software and computer systems.

An Introduction to Discrete Mathematics, Formal System Specification, and Z

Derek Andrews

Practical Formal Methods with VDM

The Software Life Cycle deals with the software lifecycle, that is, what exactly happens when software is developed. Topics covered include aspects of software engineering, structured techniques of software development, and software project management. The use of mathematics to design and develop computer systems is also discussed. This book is comprised of 20 chapters divided into four sections and begins with an overview of software engineering and software development, paying particular attention to the birth of software engineering and the introduction of formal methods of software development. The next section explores some aspects of software engineering that tend to get ignored in the literature, including functional programming, functional-programming languages, and relational databases. The reader is then introduced to structured methods of software development, along with software project management. The final chapter is devoted to software testing, which can be functional or nonfunctional. This monograph will be useful to software engineers and designers.

Darrel Ince

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