The Software Abstract is intended to tell its reader enough about the software to know where to find all the other information that exists about it, anywhere. A copy of the Abstract opens every document about the software. It has a fairly rigid format, so a sequence of Abstracts can be scanned swiftly, the same information always being found at the same place. The format of the Software Abstract is defined in Figure 1. Although most Software Abstracts are written to define individual programs, the format is also an effective tool for describing any software entity: subroutine, program, software system or subsystem, data file, or library. It has even been used successfully to document books and articles about documenting (Schneider, French, Lucas 77). The Abstract is constrained to fit on one side of one sheet of paper. This is the reason that certain sections of the Abstract are considered optional.An Example of Software Abstract is shown in Figure 2. The example demonstrates the considerable informational latitude that can be incorporated into a Software Abstract without violating the strict format guidelines.
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