Inlessthanadecadeofexistence,theWebhasreachedatrulystaggeringstage, demonstratedbythescope,thereach,andthesizeofWeb-basedapplications andactivities. Concentratinginitiallyoninformationdissemination,thescopeof theapplicationsisnowlimitedonlybyourimagination. Thereachisconstantly expandingandsoarethenumberandsizeoftheapplications,alongwiththe underlyingcomplexity,rangeofpurposes,andthetimeneededtodevelopand maintainthem. Atthesametime,thedevelopmentandmaintenanceprocesses ofWebapplicationshavenotprogressedatasu?cientlyrapidpacetomeetthese challengesanddemands. Consequently,thelikelihoodisthatWebapplication developmentwillgetintoacrisisanditisnothardtoimaginethatthiswould dwarfthe softwarecrisis identi?edlongagointhe1960s. WebEngineeringaimstoavertthispotentialcrisisbygeneratingaproactive approachtothesuccessfuldevelopmentofWeb-basedsystemsandapplications. WebEngineeringinvolvestheuseofscienti?c,engineering,andmanagement principlesandsystematicapproacheswiththeaimofsuccessfullydeveloping, deploying,andmaintaininghighqualityWeb-basedsystemsandapplications. WebEngineering,initscurrentform,isanearlyattempttoidentifythes- ni?cantissuesandproblems,andtheirsolutions,indevelopingWeb-basedapp- cations. Asweseeit,WebEngineeringisnotyetestablishedasafulldiscipline norhasitdevelopedanidenti?ableorstableform,sinceeverythingconnected withtheWebisstillinastateof?ux. Oneonlyhastolookatthenumberof variedactivitiesthattheWorldWideWebConsortiumisengagedintorealise thatastableWebenvironment,andhenceprovenmethodsfordevelopmental activitiesbasedontheWeb,isstillsomedistanceaway. OurearlyforaysintotheWebarena,withtheconstantexcitementofnew developmentsandchallenges,forcefullybroughttomindourentryintothec- puting?eld,almostthreedecadesago. Atthattime,comparedtowhatthe technologycoulddo,oure?ortsincomputerizingpayrollandaccountingapp- cationsinrealityseemedpunyanddisappointing. TheWeb,ontheotherhand, didnotseemshackled,inawaythatearlycomputingwas,tothesebure- craticandunimaginativewaysofconduc
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