Making data-driven porting decisions with Tuscan

Software typically outlives the platform that it was originally written for. To smooth the transition to new tools and platforms, programs should depend on the underlying platform as little as possible. In practice, however, software build processes are highly sensitive to their build platform, notably the implementation of the compiler and standard library. This makes it difficult to port existing, mature software to emerging platforms-web based runtimes like WebAssembly, resource-constrained environments for Internet-of-Things devices, or innovative new operating systems like Fuchsia. We present Tuscan, a framework for conducting automatic, deterministic, reproducible tests on build systems. Tuscan is the first framework to solve the problem of reproducibly testing builds cross-platform at massive scale.We also wrote a build wrapper, Red, which hijacks builds to tolerate common failures that arise from platform dependence, allowing the test harness to discover errors later in the build. Authors of innovative platforms can use Tuscan and Red to test the extent of unportability in the software ecosystem, and to quantify the effort necessary to port legacy software. We evaluated Tuscan by building an operating system distribution, consisting of 2,699 Red-wrapped programs, on four platforms, yielding a 'catalog' of the most common portability errors. This catalog informs data-driven porting decisions and motivates changes to programs, build systems, and language standards; systematically quantifies problems that platform writers have hitherto discovered only on an ad-hoc basis; and forms the basis for a common substrate of portability fixes that developers can apply to their software

I Quaderni di Careggi- Fifth issue- Landscape Observatories

Having regard to Recommendation CM/Rec (2008)3 on the Guidelines for the implementation of the European Landscape Convention, “landscape observatories, centers and institutes” are one of the main instruments for the implementation of landscape policies (II.3.3). They facilitate the collection and exchange of information and study protocols between states and local communities. This issue of the Quaderni di Careggi presents an international overview of the activities of landscape observatories, a reflection on their mission and effectiveness with regard to the ELC objectives, and a reflection on the relationships between the different subjects, thanks to the participation of institutional bodies, public officials as well as researchers and representatives of civil society. It reflects part of the scientific contributions which will be presented during the V Careggi Seminar (Florence, 27-28th June 2013)

Training of Crisis Mappers and Map Production from Multi-sensor Data: Vernazza Case Study (Cinque Terre National Park, Italy)

This aim of paper is to presents the development of a multidisciplinary project carried out by the cooperation between Politecnico di Torino and ITHACA (Information Technology for Humanitarian Assistance, Cooperation and Action). The goal of the project was the training in geospatial data acquiring and processing for students attending Architecture and Engineering Courses, in order to start up a team of "volunteer mappers". Indeed, the project is aimed to document the environmental and built heritage subject to disaster; the purpose is to improve the capabilities of the actors involved in the activities connected in geospatial data collection, integration and sharing. The proposed area for testing the training activities is the Cinque Terre National Park, registered in the World Heritage List since 1997. The area was affected by flood on the 25th of October 2011. According to other international experiences, the group is expected to be active after emergencies in order to upgrade maps, using data acquired by typical geomatic methods and techniques such as terrestrial and aerial Lidar, close-range and aerial photogrammetry, topographic and GNSS instruments etc.; or by non conventional systems and instruments such us UAV, mobile mapping etc. The ultimate goal is to implement a WebGIS platform to share all the data collected with local authorities and the Civil Protectio

Landscape Observatories in Europe from the ELC Recommendations to Local Initiatives. Rationale and Issues of the Seminar

Having regard to Recommendation CM/Rec (2008)3 on the Guidelines for the implementation of the European Landscape Convention, “landscape observatories, centers and institutes” are one of the main instruments for the implementation of landscape policies (II.3.3). They facilitate the collection and exchange of information and study protocols between states and local communities. This issue of the Quaderni di Careggi presents an international overview of the activities of landscape observatories, a reflection on their mission and effectiveness with regard to the ELC objectives, and a reflection on the relationships between the different subjects, thanks to the participation of institutional bodies, public officials as well as researchers and representatives of civil society. It reflects part of the scientific contributions which will be presented during the V Careggi Seminar (Florence, 27-28th June 2013

Firms and System Competitiveness in Italy

Recent evolution of the Italian industrial system shows how the concepts of localization/delocalization of economic production processes have very little to do with geographical and administrative borders. In this context, a very important and discussed element of complexity is represented by the evaluation of competitiveness. Problems regarding the concept and its proper measurement require a deep elaboration and regard the context of analysis, the information and the available statistical data sources. This book aims at discussing this complex phenomenon from a critical viewpoint both at a macro (economic systems) and at a micro (firms) level showing that they are intrinsically integrated

Labelling and patient safety in non-EU countries

An individual review of pharmacovigilance compliance with respect to safety and labelling, and drug serialization, is provided. The specificities for the countries of the Balkans, the GCC and the MENA region are presented, as well as the trend of harmonization with regard to the regulatory requirements applicable in the European Union

General Average and Risk Management in Medieval and Early Modern Maritime Business

This open access book explores the history of risk management in medieval and early modern European maritime business, focusing particularly on 'General Average' – a mechanism by which extraordinary expenses regarding ship or cargo, incurred during a voyage to save the venture, are shared between all participants to protect equity. This volume traces the history of this risk management tool from its origins in the pre-Roman Mediterranean through to its use in the shipping sector today. Contributions range from the Islamic Mediterranean to the Low Countries, and taken together, provide a wide-ranging analysis of social, cultural, and political aspects of pre-modern maritime commerce in Europe