Practical Process Simulation Using Object-Oriented Techniques and C++

Rating:
Summary: Good simulation case studies
Review: I teach in the Bay area, my courses are Object oriented programming (C++ and Java) and Discrete Event Simulation. This book has helped me organize projects for programming-in-the-large. I have been using GPSS, this book has also been helpful in my search for an alternative simulation approach and software that is object oriented. I found Psim portable and very useful in applying OO concepts in my simulation projects. Overall I believe this book is a very good as a supplemental book on simulation with OO programming.

Rating:
Summary: Good simulation case studies
Review: I teach in the Bay area, my courses are Object oriented programming (C++ and Java) and Discrete Event Simulation. This book has helped me organize projects for programming-in-the-large. I have been using GPSS, this book has also been helpful in my search for an alternative simulation approach and software that is object oriented. I found Psim portable and very useful in applying OO concepts in my simulation projects. Overall I believe this book is a very good as a supplemental book on simulation with OO programming.

Rating:
Summary: Practical as the title says
Review: This book is about an introduction to the process-interaction approach to simulation (first began with Simula, and then Demos), an approach widely applicable in real-time and distributed systems. The approach involves a high level view of a system and is inherently object oriented.

As a distributed systems consultant in the Java and FORTE space, I have used this approach in developing distributed systems and I find it very useful when dealing with such issues as: synchronization, interrupts, and communications. These topics are simply and clearly explained in the book aided by case studies. I have used Psim (the supporting software) to test my different strategies in developing this sort of systems. Psim is simple and portable.

In my opinion, the book fulfills its goals as stated by the author in the Preface; it presents the concepts in simple and readable terms, and shows how to implement simulation models applying these concepts. The book is also practical as I say in the title of this review as it avoids unnecessary theory, and it assumes the reader to have some knowledge of object oriented programming (C++). When I train customers in developing systems using FORTE or Java, I make the same assumptions.

Rating:
Summary: Object oriented simulation -> the example how not to
Review: This book starts with a description of objects and OMT and UML stuff. It explains the benefits of object oriented techniques and of the capabilities of simulation. It takes some pages to explain how simulation languages work and what needs to be included. So far no problem. Untill it starts explaining about a barber shop and PSIM (the simulation language developed in C++ by the author of the book). All kinds of process flows are modelled, not only in the basics of the library elements of the language, but also in the example itself. Unfortunately the whole object oriented technique is neglected. For the object oriented expert a good laughter, for the novice in either OO or simulation, watch out for this book and duck. (2000-06-29)