This paper describes ROSA, a software reuse system based on the processing of the natural language descriptions of software artifacts. Lexical, syntactic and semantic analysis of software descriptions is performed to automatically extract both verbal and nominal phrases from descriptions and use this information to create frame-based indexing units for software components. Retrieval similarity measures provide good retrieval effectiveness by supporting semantic matching and processing of lexical relationships between terms. Some results from an experiment evaluating retrieval effectiveness are discussed. 1 Introduction This paper describes ROSA (Reuse Of Software Artifacts) a software reuse system based on the processing of the natural language descriptions of software artifacts [9][10][11][12]. The system aims at being cost-effective, domain independent and providing good retrieval effectiveness. Automatic indexing is required to turn software retrieval systems cost-effective. Reuse ...

Contacc freeze @ hplabs.hp.com Recently, there has been increasing interest in software reuse as a way to improve software quality and productivity. One of the major problems with reusing libraries of software components is helping users effectively select (find and understand) components of interest. This paper explores the use of hypertext to enhance the process of component selection through a prototype system called Kiosk. Included are discussions of the selection process, why hypertext is well suited for supporting selection, and important characteristics of hypertext systems intended to support reuse. Also discussed are how reusable libraries can be structured using hypertext, how such libraries can be mechanically built, and how their use enhances the component selection process. Kiosk consists of an open set of tools that can create, browse, and modify nodes and links in a software library. One of these tools, Cost++, can automatically generate a linked structure for libraries by clustering workproducts into components, and then placing components into multiple classification hierarchies. The Kiosk browsing tools allow users to peruse the components in libraries, examine library structures from multiple perspectives, and add new links and nodes to enhance the standard library structure.

Promoting software reuse practice requires more effective support. In this paper we discuss some problems in current software reuse systems and how current research in retrieval through natural language specifications addresses them. We introduce work in progress for a software reuse system that aims to provide high precision in retrieval by processing both queries in natural language and descriptions of components in a software library. Additional support for application developers (for understanding and adapting software components) and for library managers (for creation, organization and reorganization of reusable components) is also discussed. 1 Introduction A survey of application programmers [1], conducted to discover user needs and attitudes toward reuse, shows that users consider reuse worthwhile, but most of them (especially those without object-oriented experience) expect more from application generators or from tools for automatic programming than from reuse systems like br...

This paper describes the classification mechanism of ROSA, a software reuse system based on the processing of the natural language descriptions of software artifacts. The system supports the automatic indexing of components by acquiring lexical, syntactic and semantic information from software descriptions. Major goals of the approach are cost-effectiveness and retrieval precision. Some results from a first experiment with the classification system are discussed. 1 Introduction Two main problems limit the practice of software reuse: the lack of mechanisms to produce reusable software artifacts, robust and easy to adapt, and the lack of mechanisms to retrieve software effectively according to the user requirements. In spite of the lack of software specially designed for reuse, there is a lot of software available that was not specially designed with reuse in mind but that can be reused. Source code is available in different programming languages and different specification languages/fo...