Fragmentations: Heuristic and COP FLUNG GUN -- Part 3

Back in this post, I have listed very few perspectives of 'Communication' factor. But it is beyond what I see or what I have seen in view of programming and testing. There is a point which is usually not considered in this Communication factor. It is device fragmentation.  It is a buzz word and it lies there most times as it is not attempted in Software Testing to understand what actually it is and what is the outcome of it. Is is just the device fragmentation the problem source?

Interestingly the behaviors noticed on a device will not be because of fragmentation in first place. But the buzz words makes it to feel it is because of device fragmentation. Going back a bit, is device fragmented or the OS is fragmented? I see both and every other factors of COP FLUNG GUN will have the influence of fragmentation and anything that comes in near future will undergo the influence of fragmentation. It indicates, this will never come down unless the user needs from technology come down. Wait, what is fragmentation and defragmentation? It is very much essential to understand because the understanding of COP FLUNG GUN factor gets better each time if this is understood each time.

In an Operating System, everything is file which in turn will be instructions and data. If this is a file system, then processing of data which will be represented as a file and will be broken into block of files. This fragmented files might be sequentially placed or may not. If not sequential then problem starts -- where disk read, disk write and wait time, all increases in Operating Context.  To improve the condition here in Operating Context due to fragmentation we initiate activity called Disk Defragmentation. Defragementation is a process of grouping the same logical content file so that they are connected in close groups and as a result the file operations by an Operating System becomes easiest and space on disk/memory and processor can be used better for other needs. If observed, the Disk Defragmentation in Operating System actually helps to overcome the impact of fragmentation in Operating Context environment. Then why cant we defragment on the mobile device?

It is like this, I tear the novel and throw its paper pieces across the streets of a city, randomly. Say, I can recognize these piece of papers on the city roads. This is fragmentation in a perspective. Now how will I defragment it by collecting and place sequentially and keep it connected logically and content wise? There are lot other factors in the city's environment -- sun, dust, heat, rain, wind, cleanliness of city etc which will disturb me to collect them together and make a novel again and not just the street which I use to commute.  The same happens in the mobile device its mobile operating system. 

The mobile device's hardware is different from each other where the same app has to run on it. Likewise the Operating System gets customized for each of this device. To relate, the novel cover which was torn into different shapes is the mobile device and the pages of torn novel are customized mobile OS.  I have to make points on each of this torn devices and OS. How? As these torn pieces miss my context and in the influence of environmental and operating context factors, it is more likely that  my points might fail or show more problems now which I cannot guess nor anticipate easily.

Few Fragmentation Factors in Mobile Device and OS

1. Hardware Specifications -- Input; Processing and Storage; Output; Collaborating Unit and Capability
2. Software Specifications -- Customized OS and its versions; Other software & its versions; Software updates - device software; component software; Anything that is bound to be updated or receive the updates
3. User's Context -- Usage pattern; Environmental factors; User's choice and Locale Settings; Rooting and Jail Breaking
4. Environmental Factors -- Infrastructure; Service Provider; Network
5. Regulations -- Policies of devices; Polices of user location; Polices of software
6. Application installed -- It's internal way of functioning on above identified factors
7. Other unidentified factors -- which always exists as unknown until identified

Ecosystem Fragmentation Not just Device Fragmentation

Now it is obvious that fragmentation is not just the device. Not just the device fragmentation is all. It is also including the user who uses the device and app as well along with unidentified factors. How to defragment these fragmentations? This is the challenge to the mobile technology which keeps changing consistently with the next version of app or mobile software or hardware as it gets updated or rolled out. As a result, does it get outdated quickly leaving the little to applications installed and to the previous model (and versions) of hardware and software? Fragmented!


Fragmentation and COP FLUNG GUN

While I learn fragmentation is everywhere here, I see it is also observed in this heuristic -- COP FLUNG GUN.  Identifying it in first hand is not possible as it is highly contextual while few identity remains generic in most cases.

Further in this blog post series I will learn and mention few generic and as well the context specific fragmentation factors in this heuristic. Interesting will be how the fragmenation of  Communication is while it is not mentioned in previous post. Did I tell myself about the fragmentation of files on mobile OS and devices while I was saying how it is from external factors? That has a role too in contribution to the external factors.

Now, let me allow myself to defragment what I have got here.  It is fragmented and goes unrecognized!



Note: I keep the technical stuffs in simple relativity and examples so I can learn it anytime and share it to others who wishes to know about it. Being technical and non-technical is expressing in simple and to anyone is what I understand for now.