Pont’s well-written but repetitive textbook introduces C++, three design methods (Yourdon structured, Yourdon object-oriented, and database), software processes, and a CASE tool for Wintel systems. It is written for British computer science students. On page 835, the author states, “We’ve scarcely scratched the surface of the field of software engineering.” I agree with this statement. The conclusion claims, “This book is a foundation for further study and practical experience.” The book is a safe foundation only for those who will not produce real software.

Here are some of my reasons. The C++ code uses identifiers that start with an underscore. The book does not detail the most significant productivity gain: the Standard Template Library. The book covers the normalization of data well and says a little about SQL, but Figure 20.18 (p.489) fails to show the standard way to handle many-to-many relations.

All of the case studies are set in the United Kingdom, with monetary values in pounds and pence. Some spelling follows British rather than American conventions. Yet the book does not follow or mention British standards.

The book presents an “object-oriented” method that uses “context diagrams,” “process lists,” and 1970s-style “structure charts” as part of an “object-oriented method.” Many object-oriented methodologists and practitioners reject these and recommend use-cases and CRC cards, which Pont does not cover. The book generalizes entity-relationship diagrams into diagrams for showing class models by adding relations labelled “AKO,” “APO,” and so on. The result seems harder to read and draw than the alternative notations. The Unified Modelling Language is not mentioned. There are other technical problems. This text is good for introducing nonpractitioners to software engineering.