Science & Technology - Software Without Tears

66 EE January SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY Software without tears by Dr Hugh Porteous, Department of Mathematical Sciences, Sheffield City Polytechnic Many firms that are not big enough to employ professional computer systems analysts run into trouble when embarking on the task of programming. A great deal of money is often wasted in this way, but it need not happen if someone on the staff takes a short, home course prepared by academic mathematics departments and a large computer manufacturer in the UK. The course is now available through the Institution of Electrical Engineers. Most people associate computers and mathematics. For many, mathematics means "sums", amounting to addition, subtraction, multiplication and division and, because they see computers as big machines that do number calculations with great speed and complete accuracy, they think mathematicians are virtually redundant. Others, more aware of the limitations of computers, still see a role for the mathematician but see t...