The viewpoints FAQ
Anthony Finkelstein, Ian Sommerville · Software Engineering Journal · 1996
The structure of this brief paper follows an emerging convention the FAQ Frequently Asked Questions list. FAQs have grown out of Internet newgroups where participants, tired of seeing the same questions repeated by newcomers, provide a list of canned answers to the most frequently asked questions. An FAQ also provides a covert role in defusing tiresome or unduly acrimonious debates by summarising the arguments and pre-empting outbreaks of “flame wars”. This is our attempt, somewhat tongue-in-cheek, to do the same for viewpoints. The FAQ serves as our introduction to the theme of the special issue papers which follow.