Towards Understanding Modern Multi-Language Software Systems

RÉSUMÉ : Aujourd’hui, la plupart des applications et sites Web tels que Google et Facebook sont des systèmes multi-langages. Google est codé en C, C++, Go, Java, Python et JS. Facebook, quant à lui, utilise Hack, PHP, Python, C++, Java, Erlang, D, Haskell et JS. De plus, de précédentes études ont permis de constater que les développeurs PHP utilisaient régulièrement deux langages en plus du PHP. Les développeurs Java utilisent également le C/C++ avec du code Java à travers la Java Native Interface (JNI) qui permet d’appeler des fonctions natives à partir de méthodes Java et des méthodes Java à partir des fonctions natives. De plus, les développeurs d’applications Android préfèrent utiliser Android NDK (qui permet d’utiliser du code C/C++ avec Android) en plus de Java, plutôt que d’utiliser uniquement Java. Dans tous ces exemples, on observe le phénomène du développement multi-langage. Bien qu’il y ait, le plus souvent, un seul langage principal (Java ou C/C++) avec divers contributions dans d’autres langages (par exemple, bash ou make), les logiciels modernes sont de plus en plus hétérogènes dans le sens où ils combinent de multiples langages de programmation qui interagissent d’une façon significative avec le langage principal.----------ABSTRACT : Today, most popular applications and websites such as Google and Facebook are multilanguage systems. Google is developed with C, C++, Go, Java, Python, and JS, while Facebook is using Hack, PHP, Python, C++, Java, Erlang, D, Haskell, and JS. Furthermore, previous research studies reported that PHP developers regularly use two languages besides PHP. Java developers also use C/C++ with Java code through the Java native interface (JNI) that allows to call native functions from Java methods and Java methods from native functions. Moreover, Android application developers prefer to use the Android NDK (allows to use C/C++ code with Android) along with Java compared to using only Java. In all these examples, we observe the phenomenon of multi-language development. While in many cases, there is one clear main language (e.g., Java or C/C++) with various smaller contributions from other languages (e.g., bash or make), increasingly more modern software are heterogeneous in the sense that they are composed of multiple programming languages that interact with the host language to a large extent

Myriad : a distributed machine vision application framework

This thesis examines the potential for the application of distributed computing frameworks to industrial and also lightweight consumer-level Machine Vision (MV) applications. Traditional, stand-alone MV systems have many benefits in well-defined, tightly- controlled industrial settings, but expose limitations in interactive, de-localised and small-task applications that seek to utilise vision techniques. In these situations, single-computer solutions fail to suffice and greater flexibility in terms of system construction, interactivity and localisation are required. Network-connected and distributed vision systems are proposed as a remedy to these problems, providing dynamic, componentised systems that may optionally be independent of location, or take advantage of networked computing tools and techniques, such as web servers, databases, proxies, wireless networking, secure connectivity, distributed computing clusters, web services and load balancing. The thesis discusses a system named Myriad, a distributed computing framework for Machine Vision applications. Myriad is composed components, such as image processing engines and equipment controllers, which behave as enhanced web servers and communicate using simple HTTP requests. The roles of HTTP-based distributed computing servers in simplifying rapid development of networked applications and integrating those applications with existing networked tools and business processes are explored. Prototypes of Myriad components, written in Java, along with supporting PHP, Perl and Prolog scripts and user interfaces in C , Java, VB and C++/Qt are examined. Each component includes a scripting language named MCS, enabling remote clients (or other Myriad components) to issue single commands or execute sequences of commands locally to the component in a sustained session. The advantages of server- side scripting in this manner for distributed computing tasks are outlined with emphasis on Machine Vision applications, as a means to overcome network connection issues and address problems where consistent processing is required. Furthermore, the opportunities to utilise scripting to form complex distributed computing network topologies and fully-autonomous federated networked applications are described, and examples given on how to achieve functionality such as clusters of image processing nodes. Through the medium of experimentation involving the remote control of a model train set, cameras and lights, the ability of Myriad to perform traditional roles of fixed, stand-alone Machine Vision systems is supported, along with discussion of opportunities to incorporate these elements into network-based dynamic collaborative inspection applications. In an example of 2D packing of remotely-acquired shapes, distributed computing extensions to Machine Vision tasks are explored, along with integration into larger business processes. Finally, the thesis examines the use of Machine Vision techniques and Myriad components to construct distributed computing applications with the addition of vision capabilities, leading to a new class of image-data-driven applications that exploit mobile computing and Pervasive Computing trends

Multi-objective Search-based Mobile Testing

Despite the tremendous popularity of mobile applications, mobile testing still relies heavily on manual testing. This thesis presents mobile test automation approaches based on multi-objective search. We introduce three approaches: Sapienz (for native Android app testing), Octopuz (for hybrid/web JavaScript app testing) and Polariz (for using crowdsourcing to support search-based mobile testing). These three approaches represent the primary scientific and technical contributions of the thesis. Since crowdsourcing is, itself, an emerging research area, and less well understood than search-based software engineering, the thesis also provides the first comprehensive survey on the use of crowdsourcing in software testing (in particular) and in software engineering (more generally). This survey represents a secondary contribution. Sapienz is an approach to Android testing that uses multi-objective search-based testing to automatically explore and optimise test sequences, minimising their length, while simultaneously maximising their coverage and fault revelation. The results of empirical studies demonstrate that Sapienz significantly outperforms both the state-of-the-art technique Dynodroid and the widely-used tool, Android Monkey, on all three objectives. When applied to the top 1,000 Google Play apps, Sapienz found 558 unique, previously unknown crashes. Octopuz reuses the Sapienz multi-objective search approach for automated JavaScript testing, aiming to investigate whether it replicates the Sapienz’ success on JavaScript testing. Experimental results on 10 real-world JavaScript apps provide evidence that Octopuz significantly outperforms the state of the art (and current state of practice) in automated JavaScript testing. Polariz is an approach that combines human (crowd) intelligence with machine (computational search) intelligence for mobile testing. It uses a platform that enables crowdsourced mobile testing from any source of app, via any terminal client, and by any crowd of workers. It generates replicable test scripts based on manual test traces produced by the crowd workforce, and automatically extracts from these test traces, motif events that can be used to improve search-based mobile testing approaches such as Sapienz

A complex systems approach to education in Switzerland

The insights gained from the study of complex systems in biological, social, and engineered systems enables us not only to observe and understand, but also to actively design systems which will be capable of successfully coping with complex and dynamically changing situations. The methods and mindset required for this approach have been applied to educational systems with their diverse levels of scale and complexity. Based on the general case made by Yaneer Bar-Yam, this paper applies the complex systems approach to the educational system in Switzerland. It confirms that the complex systems approach is valid. Indeed, many recommendations made for the general case have already been implemented in the Swiss education system. To address existing problems and difficulties, further steps are recommended. This paper contributes to the further establishment complex systems approach by shedding light on an area which concerns us all, which is a frequent topic of discussion and dispute among politicians and the public, where billions of dollars have been spent without achieving the desired results, and where it is difficult to directly derive consequences from actions taken. The analysis of the education system's different levels, their complexity and scale will clarify how such a dynamic system should be approached, and how it can be guided towards the desired performance

Jornadas Nacionales de Investigación en Ciberseguridad: actas de las VIII Jornadas Nacionales de Investigación en ciberseguridad: Vigo, 21 a 23 de junio de 2023

Jornadas Nacionales de Investigación en Ciberseguridad (8ª. 2023. Vigo)atlanTTicAMTEGA: Axencia para a modernización tecnolóxica de GaliciaINCIBE: Instituto Nacional de Cibersegurida