Episode 47: Interview Grady Booch

In this Episode we are happy to talk to Grady Booch. We started off
by discussing his Architecture Handbook, how it came into being,
the progress, and how it will look like once it's finished. In this
context we also looked at the issue of how to distinguish
architecture from design. We then asked him about how
"professional" software architecture is these days, as well as
about the ubiquity of software product lines in industry. The next
couple of minutes looked at the question of whether software
development is an engineering discipline, craftsmanship or an art
form, and we discussed the key qualifications of software
developers. Grady then elaborated on the problems of developing in
large teams as well as the potential limits of complexity we can
tackle with software.

We then got back to a more technical discussion, where we looked at
model-driven development, DSLs, etc. and the role of the UML in
that context. Next was a discussion about scripting languages, and
the current trend towards new languages. We then looked at
component marketplaces and other forms of reuse, as well as the
importance of OO these days and the relevance of AO. We concluded
with a (small) outlook to the future.