Archive for January, 2009

Software implementing soft skills at OOP 2009

Thursday, January 22nd, 2009

SpeedTrace exhibited again

We are exhibiting SpeedTrace again at the OOP 2009 in Munich from January 27 to 29! Come and visit us in Hall 4, Stand 4.4. Since last year’s OOP software trade fair SpeedTrace has been enhanced with many new features and shaped to yet further perfection (see previous blog entries). We are also seizing the occasion to present our Software Performance Consulting concept in connection with SpeedTrace.

OOP 2009 soft skill focus

The OOP software trade fair has always had a knack for combining software technology with the often underestimated managerial skills required to implement software-based solutions. Since the importance of these social aspects including improved communication skills, trust building, team motivation, etc. has been gaining increasing attention in recent years, the OOP has adopted "soft skills" as its main thematic focus for 2009.

IT performance consulting with SpeedTrace

Within this context SpeedTrace is going to be introduced in the new light of its general concept of IT performance consulting. In previous entries I have tried to point out that SpeedTrace is much more than just a tool. Due to its highly modular structure (complex filtering system, scaled viewing, multiple functionality, etc.) it is more like a highly sophisticated toolkit that calls for a more experienced interactive approach to problem solving based on the principle of elimination.

SpeedTrace consulting experience

We have also had a lot of good experience doing consulting for major companies over the last couple of years. Large-scale projects involving whole departments or even whole companies often require a lot of support with a highly systematic consulting approach. Accordingly, a variety of measures including introductory seminars, guided and systematized diagnostic sessions, and supervised development of rigorous and consistent measurement methodologies have to be orchestrated and fine-tuned to meet the individual requirements and purposes of the organizations concerned.

The Transparence Empowers Principle (TEP)

In the light of this new dimension, our SpeedTrace team is launching its consulting concept under our newly created precept:

T r a n s p a r e n c e e m p o w e r s !

As shown in our last entry " …Get to the root" SpeedTrace’s unique nonintrusive architecture is best apt to deliver the valid facts of a problem enabling you to penetrate deep down into your code to expose the root causes of a problem and render them clear and transparent. In doing so it empowers software developers by providing them with the linchpin for creating effective solutions.

transparence empowers

TEP-based marketing and consulting

Analogously, our marketing approach of offering CTP versions to potential customers to try out and apply SpeedTrace is also open and transparent and geared to encourage users to solve their problems on their own with a little support and guidance.

Our consulting approach is also aimed in a joint effort to render an organization’s software absolutely transparent and susceptible to effective diagnostics as quickly as possible in order to empower companies to self-reliantly develop their own long-lasting expedient solutions.

Stop poking around the symptoms: Get to the root!

Tuesday, January 13th, 2009

Crucial precautions

When purchasing a software profiler/tracer you’ll be well advised to test the various tools on the market with the utmost care. This applies especially when the software you are developing is going to be used in sensitive areas where there is a lot at stake or where reliable software can even be a matter of life or death.

Misleading methodologies

A lot of conventional profilers tend to poke around the symptoms instead of drilling down to the root cause of a problem. Or worse, they might let you drill down in the wrong places just giving you the impression that you’re getting there when you’re actually not. Besides, they tend to intrude upon the application in the act of evaluation to the point of distortion. All this is liable to yield misleading results, lead your diagnostics astray, and induce the wrong kinds of treatment – perhaps the cure that kills the patient.

First get the facts!

To prevent distortion by intrusion (overhead) SpeedTrace takes a more systematic approach. Akin to a doctor’s anamnesis, SpeedTrace initiates its diagnosis by first recording without evaluating the overall picture, thus presenting you with an overview of the software product’s general "constitution". By thus gaining a bird’s eye view of the matter you are able to transparently map out all the problem areas of a version for the subsequent tracing analysis.

Intuitiveness vs. reliability

It is often said that other profilers may be more "intuitive", but that does not in the least make them just as sound and objective. Life is often not as simple as we’d like it to be, and complex situations usually require more intricate procedures and greater routine. In my view, this applies particularly to profiling and tracing software issues.

More than just a tool!

SpeedTrace’s more sophisticated architecture offers the user maximum flexibility, reliability and accuracy:

  • SpeadTrace’s holistic diagnostics procedure provides you with a clear, pre-evaluative "roadmap" for your analysis!
  • SpeadTrace’s thoroughly systematic methodology (modular filtering system, blackboxing function, scalable viewing, versatile aggregations, etc.) helps you to optimize your search and in effect drill down deep into the problematic lines of your code!
  • SpeadTrace’s guaranteed nonintrusiveness (due to minimized overhead) obviates a major source of misleading information and distortion of the facts. SpeedTrace’s architecture even allows you to read out results without overhead!

Your choice can make a difference!

It can really make a difference whether you prioritize intuitive quick fixes and hazard the consequences or opt for a really reliable and accurate tool that has its complexities and requires some initial familiarizing. We therefore encourage our customers to benefit from our extensive support system and individual consulting to get started.

In conclusion, wherever safety and security is at stake and absolute reliability is required, SpeedTrace is most probably your best choice.


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