The Unified Modeling Language (UML) has been playing a part in software development for years as it provided a standardized visual language for modeling the structure of complex systems. But there have been questions about UML and whether it is still useful because the software industry has shifted towards more iterative, flexible Agile methodologies, there have been questions about the relevance of UML. But the article explains that if you look at it closer then UML remains a valuable asset, especially when leveraged appropriately in an Agile context. UML has four main strengths which include visualization, abstraction, standardization, and design documentation. Visualization means that UML diagrams offer a powerful way to visualize and document the static structure and dynamic behavior of a software system. Abstraction is when UML supports modeling at various levels of abstraction, from high-level conceptual diagrams to detailed design specifications. Standardization is since it is a widely-adopted industry standard, UML provides a common language that can be understood by software professionals worldwide. Finally, design documentation means that UML diagrams can serve as a valuable reference for documenting the design of a system, which can aid in maintenance, support, and future enhancements.

Using these strengths there are many ways that UML can make its way into Agile environments. The first is ideation and communication, UML can be particularly useful during the initial stages of an Agile project, quick, lightweight UML diagrams can help the team visualize and communicate their concepts, leading to a shared understanding before diving into implementation. Next is agile modeling, rather than a complex upfront design, Agile teams can adopt a modeling approach where they create diagrams as needed through their current sprints. The third is architectural blueprinting, UML can play a role in defining and documenting the overall system architecture. By having a high level model, teams can ensure consistency and maintainability as the system evolves over time. The final one is knowledge capture and transfer. UML diagrams can serve as pieces for capturing and transferring info, particularly when gaining new team members or supporting the system in production.

The reason I chose this blog post to talk about is because we just recently did an assignment on UML and have talked a lot about it. During this time I always wondered why it was so important or what place it really had in a team of developers. Overall I believe that the blog itself did a great job at making me see why I was so wrong and what really was important. It can adapt so well over time and allows developers a way to help other members understand their work better and to communicate exactly what they are trying to accomplish. I plan to get better at using UML as a skill I can use in jobs to showcase Agile methodologies and hopefully it will help show not only a technical skill but also my ability to work more collaboratively in teams.

From the blog Thanas CS343 Blog by tlara1f9a6bfb54 and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

Open source software is so valuable to society, but how would that value be translated into currency? About 96% of all commercial companies contain code that originates from an open source software (OSS). But according to new articles and papers being written on the subject the amount that these free softwares save these companies is a lot larger than people originally expected. Without it, firms would pay an estimated 3.5 times more to create the software and platforms that run their entire business which in total would be around $8.8 trillion in total. Due to this many companies make sure to express how important it is to hire people who have experience with open source software as it is the backbone of companies. The authors  of the article calculated the estimated value of open source software by combining data from The Census II of Free and Open Source Software and BuiltWith, which is a database that takes millions of websites and identifies technologies they use. To estimate the cost of recreating these open source projects from scratch, the researchers analyzed the number of lines of code in each project and used the COCOMO II cost estimation model, that predicts development effort and expense based on the size of the code and how complex the code is. They then adjusted these amounts using regional wage data to show how much it would cost in labor throughout the world. This allowed them to estimate that both the cost it would take to replace all of the software would be around $4.2 billion and the total value of open source software being used in the world is almost $8.8 trillion. The reason I used this specific article was because of our current discussions of open source software and how important it is to not only people who are in tech, but also people who are less fortunate and need the resources that this free software gives them. So to see an article that explains what the commercial value this software provides around the world and how much it is actually worth is shocking and goes along perfectly with the importance we saw of it in class. The article itself was very interesting to read about as well. To think about how much it would actually cost to create this software is absurd and really opens my eyes as to how large it actually is. Before reading I believed that it was helpful, but I didn’t know the importance it has in actual companies. As well as how helpful it is to have experience in open source software when it comes to jobs as well. I am definitely going to do more research into different software and hopefully it helps me with my future career.

https://www.library.hbs.edu/working-knowledge/open-source-software-the-nine-trillion-resource-companies-take-for-granted

From the blog Thanas CS343 Blog by tlara1f9a6bfb54 and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.