Software reusability with SML

Describes the features and design of SML, an integrated Software Module Library management system aimed at encouraging the reuse of software. SML aims at providing a user-friendly interface and an easy-to-use system in which software engineers can donate routines for use by other engineers, as well as retrieve software modules contributed by other engineers, resulting in improved productivity. To prevent user abuse, SML contains built-in checks using a credit facility to ensure that engineers contribute to SML besides merely retrieving from it. Security considerations in SML include access control checks to ensure that only authorized users can gain access to the system, and encryption facilities to prevent users from bypassing SML and directly accessing the routine library. Quality control is also enforced in SML through a decentralized user feedback mechanism, to maintain the high quality of routines contributed to the library.