ABSTRACT
Although such assets may be applied as required on a problem-by-problem basis by writing specialized analysis programs, it is more efficient to integrate all these capabilities into a unified, general software application. When a specialized program is written to analyze a particular problem, time and resource constraints usually preclude taking the most general and mathematically rigorous approach, and it is rarely possible to test the predictions of the program as extensively as would be desirable. Furthermore, such programs are typically intended for the use of the originator, and so often have cryptic user interfaces and minimal documentation. Thus, specialized programs are usually of limited utility except to the researcher who designed them, and for the particular problem they were intended to address. In addition, such programs are prone to inaccuracy because of simplifying assumptions and/or undetected errors.
