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A Useful Method to Discover essential properties of
functional-components
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Today if we ask 10 software component researchers or CBSD experts to describe the physical
functional components, we get 10 different answers. Only the God has more mysterious descriptions than the
components, as if no one alive has ever seen the physical components.
So, the discovery of accurate universal definition/description of the ideal physical
functional components exposes errors in basic CBSD/CBSE concepts and leads to inventing solutions for overcoming the software crisis.
The universal definition is nothing but a set of essential characteristics uniquely and universally shared by each and every physical functional component exist today.
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Today there exists thousands of mammal species in the world. A proven scientific process for discovering
a set of essential characteristics for the mammals is, selecting a large enough sample set of species of mammals for observing the set of mammals to find a property-set comprising all the essential characteristics (or properties that are
uniquely and universally shared by each of the species of mammals in the sample set), where uniquely means no other being must share
the set of essential properties. This process and characteristics in the property-set provides basic grasp of parameters, nature, deep insights and excellent approximation for the discovery. These results were refined and/or validated by using countless know facts, observations and wisdom accumulated over centuries.
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Any known fact or verifiable observation related to nature of the mammals must not contradict this discovery of accurate universal description: Hence these shared essential universal characteristics were validated not only by randomly picking other species of mammals (not present in the
above sample selected set) but also by using each and every known fact, observation and collective wisdom (mankind accumulated over millennia about the mammals). This property-set comprising all the absolutely essential characteristics
(uniquely and universally shared by all the known species of the mammals) constitutes the accurate universal description for the mammals (assuming no error was found in the property-set in any above vetting).
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Likewise, there exist many thousands of subclasses (i.e. kinds/species) of physical components in the world today. It is not complex to discover accurate universal
definition for the physical functional components. It is not necessary for software engineering to deal with
simpler non-ideal and non-functional components. This make the task simpler, so I am only interested in discovering accurate universal description of
ideal functional components (also referred to as active-components). The accurate universal description is nothing but a
set of properties comprising each and every absolutely essential characteristic (universally shared by all known physical functional-components).
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After keenly observing many ideal physical functional-components, I discovered that all the ideal functional-components share just two absolutely essential characteristics (i) Replaceability (i.e. the part can be disassembled and re-assembled at any time in the future), and (ii) Self-contained, where intended meaning of self-contained is incommensurable. The best way to discover the intended meaning of the term ‘self-contained’ is by evaluating the following expression by using a large enough set of medium or large favorite physical active-components until discovering the intended meaning.
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(R && Self_Contained_Part) == (R && Functional_Component)
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Where ‘R’ stands for “Replaceability”, which is present on both sides of the expression. Functional_Component stands for ‘physical
Functional-Component’. Software ‘Self_Contained_Parts’ must be equivalent to the physical Functional_Components. Only unknown in the simple expression is ‘Self-Contained’, that can be discovered by using large enough set of favorite
ideal physical functional-components, until discovering the intended meaning (i.e. hidden innate nature or essential characteristics uniquely and universally shared by each and every ideal functional-component).
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Mankind knows and has been using many thousands of physical functional-components (that are also replaceable). One may select any large enough set of ideal functional-components and use each of the functional-components (e.g. by selecting each from the set as a known reference, one at a time) for grasping the various aspects or nature for discovering the unknown characteristic or property named ‘Self-Contained’ (e.g. until discovering hidden nature or the unknown property).
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The set of functionality of each active-component (or functional-component) is mostly limited to any combination of (i) providing services for other parts, (ii) consuming services of other parts, and (iii) offering features to the user of the product or providing given Input/Output functions of the product. About 7 permutations and combinations of just these three listed functions are possible for each Active-component. For example, I selected many kinds of physical active-components for the large set, where some components only provide services, some components only consume services, some components provide features to users of the product (but neither offer nor consume services), some components consume services and offer services, and some components consume services for providing features to users of the product, and so on. I suggest others to do the same.
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Objective of any scientific experimentation or enquiry (e.g. String-Theory, God-Particle or Higgs boson) is not to invent but to discover unknown mysterious facts (by making accurate observations). The mysterious property self-contained must be discovered (since it can’t be invented). One method is evaluating the expression for the one unknown using many known physical active-components.
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Important Note: Any competent software expert might not have much problem to positively identify about 90% of large SCCs
(Self-Contained Components) in any large software application, when he discovers the essential properties that are uniquely and universally shared by each and every physical
active-component. The objective for discovering the unique properties (or hidden-nature) universally shared by each and every mammal (or SCC) are (a) one must be able to positively
and unambiguously identify each mammal (or SCC) and (b) one must be able to positively or unambiguously differentiate any other being (e.g. a thing or part) form the mammal (or SCC), if and only if the being is not an mammal (or SCC).
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Please kindly remember that mankind not only knows many facts and observations but also has accumulated vast wisdom and expertise about the physical active-components and CBD of physical-products. The discovery of real components can’t contradict any know fact or validated observation related to the nature of the components or CBD. Any proposed new discovery (e.g. universal accurate description for the components or CBD) could be invalidated by finding even a single real fact or verifiable observation that contradicts the new discovery (e.g. of nature of the physical components or CBD for the physical products).
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Once intended meaning of the term “Self-contained” is discovered, it must be further validated, for example, for improving the accuracy of the discovered answers (e.g. Self-contained) by using each of the other known facts and wisdom accumulated over centuries, since mankind has centuries of experience, accumulated tacit knowledge and has known many facts about the physical-components and CBD of physical-products.
Unfortunately intended meaning of ‘self-contained’ is mysteriously nebulous and incommensurable aspect of our new paradigm/discovery. I am sure, following quotes of Galileo refer to such mysterious aspects of then new paradigm/discoveries:
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“You cannot teach a man anything; you can only help him discover it in himself.” |
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“All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them.” |
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"Facts which at first seem improbable will, even on scant explanation, drop the cloak which has hidden them and stand forth in naked and simple beauty." |
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This website can't teach intended meaning of "Self-Contained", but can only help to discover one self. I wish it is possible to teach, but I feel it is impossible to teach. The above Galileo's quotes certainly applicable to discoveries that expose errors in the seed (i.e. basic/root) postulation of deeply entrenched paradigm. Please kindly keep in mind that, discovery of errors in the seed postulation of even a complex widely accepted paradigm shall result in collapse of the paradigm (even if the paradigm had been deeply entrenched for 1000 years as in the case of Geocentric-model). A new paradigm must be re-invented/evolved from scratch by relying on newly discovered seed truths/facts. Such paradigm-shifts are most complex and absolutely essential for scientific progress.
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It is certainly possible to discover the intended meaning of term “Self-contained”, which is one of the two essential characteristics of ideal functional components. It is not simple to discover the intended meaning of term “Self-contained”.
But it is not complex than many other discoveries (we all take for granted or consider trivial) such as essential characteristics of bacteria, viruses, atoms, molecules, compounds or elements. It requires intense analysis of multiple ideal functional components, for few weeks. There is no other simple way for early pioneers. Of course, the process could be made simpler, if an expert already discovered the intended meaning of term “Self-contained” and have practical experience in identifying Self-contained software components could guide with aid of Self-contained software components and well thought out exercises for training.
I strongly request not to underestimate the complexity of discovering intended meaning of term "Self-contained". Even this kind of intense training process under the guidance of an expert might need 7 to 9 days (in early stages). But over the time, this process should become simpler and trivial eventually, as more intuitive examples are available to articulate better, training process is evolved and subconscious skepticism, mental inertia and resistance to change dilutes as each of the designers exposed to successful examples of “Replaceable Self-Contained Components” at work in respective application domains (from multiple trusted experts, colleagues and friends in a comfortable pace).
Also certain application domains are more conducive for real-CBSD, for example, because it is easier to identify “SCMs” (Self-Contained Modules) to design as RCCs. It is preferable to start form application domains that are more conducive for real-CBSD and expand to applications domains that are less and less conducive for real-CBSD (as the new paradigm taking roots by winning mind share of more and more researchers/experts resulting in more innovative design patterns/models).
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I hope researchers don't ignore or give up on this fundamental discovery, just because it would take few weeks of hard meticulous work (e.g. to analyze all the data). This is the biggest hurdle in the path to achieving real-CBSD for solving software crisis. Discovering essential characteristics of countless other things (e.g. bacteria or viruses) were many times more complex, but now we know such complex discoveries are absolutely essential for scientific progress.
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The most amazing and unbelievable thing is, many principles scientist of computers science and software engineering behaving not much differently than the principle philosophers in the dark ages (by refusing to see the real CBD-structures created by using real software components). Intense intellectual struggle might be inevitable for the first Kuhnian paradigm shift (illustrated by Thomas Kuhn in his famous book ‘The Structure of Scientific Revolutions’) in any field (including software): |
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In his letter to Kepler in year 1610, Galileo complained that the philosophers (i.e. Scientists were referred to as philosophers) who opposed his discoveries had refused even to look through a telescope (that offers irrefutable proof, but requires meticulous observation for prolonged periods): |
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"My dear Kepler, I wish that we might laugh at the remarkable stupidity of the common herd. What do you have to say about the principal philosophers of this academy who are filled with the stubbornness of an asp and do not want to look at either the planets, the moon or the telescope, even though I have freely and deliberately offered them the opportunity a thousand times? Truly, just as the asp stops its ears, so do these philosophers shut their eyes to the light of truth." |
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It is not like mankind just come into contact with alien species of mammals or components to argue that we must acquire more knowledge to validate the universal accurate description (i.e. each of the absolutely essential properties). Mankind has intimate and in-depth knowledge about both the mammals and the components for many centuries. In fact, we know far more about the components (that are made by the mankind) than the mammals (that are created by nature).
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The components have been in existence for centuries even before the invention of computers or computer science. By ignoring this fact, I can’t believe the greatest minds of computer science and software engineering trying to invent nature of the components (even in the 21st century). Why is it any different from trying to invent planetary motion in the dark ages by erroneously assuming that the Earth is static at center? Didn’t we learn a valuable lesson that we can’t invent hidden properties or nature of an existing thing and we can only discover nature or physical properties of the thing that is already in existence for centuries?
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"By denying scientific principles, one may maintain any paradox"
– Galileo Galilee
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Why is it impossible to discover (i) essential characteristics of the physical functional-components and (ii) essential aspects of the CBD of the physical products? Discovering these simple truths reveal the paradox (i.e. by exposing countless contradictions) maintained by CBSD experts, which might even rival the epicycles and paradox existed to support the geocentric model.
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If software researchers and scientists continue to ignore obvious facts and deny
basic scientific principles (as happened in the dark ages), our computer science will be in crisis until facts are discovered and history will not be kind to researchers. Hence, purpose of my paper is requesting just to discover the simple facts (i.e. accurate unique definitions of existing known components/CBD). The research effort and advancement of the software engineering can be put back on right track by analyzing known facts and discovering the simple truths about the components and CBD, for example by exposing basic errors that not only caused the software crisis but also derailed the meaningful advancement of the software engineering.
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