Detecting global predicates in a distributed program is a useful tool for debugging and testing the program. Past research has considered several restricted forms of predicates, including conjunctive predicates and linked predicates, and their detection algorithms. The authors introduce an exclusive OR global predicates to describe exclusive usages of shared resources in distributed programs. An exclusive OR global predicate holds for a given run only when one or zero local predicate is true at every consistent global state during the run. One exclusive OR global predicate is enough to describe the mutual exclusion condition of n processes, while it takes O(n/sup 2/) conjunctive predicates. Moreover, the exclusive OR condition is easily detectable by sequentializing all true events in a given run. A centralized algorithm of detecting exclusive OR global predicates is presented.

Many people recognize software development as intellectual activities of developers-so called art. To solve this problem and apply an engineering approach to software development, CASE technology has been studied. This technology becomes the center of public interest, but the evaluation of its results is conflicting. The paper focuses on the reasons for this result. To analyze this problem, the paper suggests various questions. 1. Which growth stages does CASE technology progress in organizations and which determinants are there to analyze this? 2. What are the perceived benefits of using CASE technology? 3. What is the relationship between these benefits and growth stages? 4. How do the situational factors have an effect on this relationship? For these research questions, the study analyzes growth stages of CASE technology and its determinants. Based on these, the study explains the relationship between the benefits of CASE technology and growth stages in organizations as well as 5 determinants. The result of the study may be useful for suggesting a conceptual model to evaluate the current level of CASE technology utilization in the organization, as well as when is the appropriate time to evaluate the benefits of CASE technology.