Resumen
The future of computer software is discussed in this article. Society is increasingly dependent on large and complex software systems. Users need software that meets stringent requirements, support a range of interaction styles, produced quickly and can be maintained to keep pace with the ever-increasing demand for functionality, quality, flexibility and cost-effectiveness. Producing such software is difficult and involves high costs and risks. Adopting the most appropriate methods, technologies and tools at just the right time is a major problem for the software industry. Authors aim to extend the debate over how software will be developed and used in two ways by stepping back from a detailed technology focus and incorporating views of experts from different disciplines. The Distributed Center for Excellence in Software Engineering aims at generating new ideas on the future direction of systems and software engineering. Its major purpose was to help meet the long-term planning needs of software based companies including British Telecommunications PLC (BT). Its recommendations, "economics of software" and "society's understanding of software systems" are now formal projects within BT.