Method Engineering focuses on the design, construction and evaluation of methods, techniques and support tools for information systems development It addresses a number of important topics, including: method representation formalisms; meta-modelling; situational methods; contingency approaches; system development practices of method engineering; terminology and reference models; ontologies; usability and experience reports; and organisational support and impact.

This book presents a state-of-the art review of current perspectives on Communications and Multimedia Security. It contains the Proceedings of the 3rd Joint Working Conference of IFIP TC6 and TC11, arranged by the International Federation for Information Processing and held in Athens, Greece in September 1997. The book aims to cover the subject of Communications and Multimedia Systems Security, as fully as possible. It constitutes an essential reading for information technology security specialists; computer professionals; communication systems professionals; EDP managers; EDP auditors;...

FORTE/PSTV '97 addresses Formal Description Techniques (FDTs) applicable to Distributed Systems and Communication Protocols (such as Estelle, LOTOS, SDL, ASN.1, TTCN, Z, Automata, Process Algebra, Logic). The conference is a forum for presentation of the state-of-the-art in theory, application, tools and industrialization of FDTs, and provides an excellent orientation for newcomers.

This book contains the papers presented and discussed at the conference that was held in May/June 1997, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, and that was sponsored by Working Group 8.2 of the International Federation for Information Processing. IFIP established 8.2 as a group concerned with the interaction of information systems and the organization.
Information Systems and Qualitative Research is essential reading for professionals and students working in information systems in a business environment, such as systems analysts, developers and designers, data administrators, and...

Information systems for very large applications present problems of scale which generate the need for particular software design techniques. The system used by BT for its customer services is usable as a paradigm for any user operating with a large and complex client base. This book will cover some of the more important systems currently deployed by BT to manage its multi-million customer network, the architecture that guides these systems, the evolving technology from which they are built and the future directions in their evolution. Computing Systems for Global Telecommunications is...

Polymerie materials have been replacing other conventional materials like metals, glass and wood in a number of applications. The use of various types of fillers incorporated into the polymer has become quite common as a means of reducing cost and to impart certain desirable mechanieal, thermal, electrieal and magnetic properties to the polymers. Oue to the energy crisis and high priees of petrochemieals, there has been a greater demand to use more and more fillers to cheapen the polymerie materials while maintaining and/or improving their properties. The advantages that filled polymer...

During the last two decades we have seen a tremendous development within the computer and communication industry. The ever increasing density on silicon, the increasing transmission speeds on fiber based systems as well as twisted pairs, the revolutionary development in the wireless area and of course the Internet have all led to many opportunities for new service developments. It is interesting to note that the last time this conference was held three years ago, the Web really did not fully exist. We are now ready to face new interesting challenges. It is an utmost importance for the...

This book constitutes the Proceedings of the IFIP Working Conference PRO- COMET'98, held 8-12 June 1998 at Shelter Island, N.Y. The conference is organized by the t'wo IFIP TC 2 Working Groups 2.2 Formal Description of Programming Concepts and 2.3 Programming Methodology. WG2.2 and WG2.3 have been organizing these conferences every four years for over twenty years. The aim of such Working Conferences organized by IFIP Working Groups is to bring together leading scientists in a given area of computer science. Participation is by invitation only. As a result, these conferences distinguish...

Combining a general introduction to Gaussian beams and quasioptical propagation with practical applications, Quasioptical Systems provides a state-of-the-art treatment of the design of low-loss, broadband systems at microwave to submillimeter wavelengths. The approach presented involves utilizing a beam with a Gaussian distribution of field strength perpendicular to its axis, which in turn propagates in a simple, predictable fashion.

Optical network design and modelling is an essential issue for planning and operating networks for the next century. The main issues in optical networking are being widely investigated not only for WDM networks but also for optical TDM and optical packet switching. This book aims to contribute to further progress in optical network architectures, design, operation and management and covers the following topics in detail:

• OAM functions and layered design of photonic networks;
• network planning and design;
• network modelling;
• analysis and protocols of...