Dependability and Software Reuse -- Coupling Them by an Industrial Standard

Whereas a software component may be perfectly suited to one application, it may prove to cause severe faults in other applications. The pre-standard IEC/PAS 62814 (Dependability of Software Products Containing Reusable Components - Guidance for Functionality and Tests), which has recently been released, addresses the functionality, testing, and dependability of software components to be reused and products that contain software to be used in more than one application. The present paper introduces into this prestandard and give hints how to use it. The author, who chaired its realization that started in 2006, briefly summarizes the difficult process to bring the industrial partners with controversial interests to a consensus.