Distance from the Main Sequence (DMS)

Overview

The Distance from the Main Sequence metric measures the balance between the abstraction and instability rates of the package.

According to what function a package has to perform, it must be able to be unstable, in other words, often significantly or abstractly modified. It must be sufficiently general to be adaptable to widely diverse situations, either without being modified or with only minimal modifications. It is preferable to have a balance between these contradictory criteria.

Computation

For a package, the balance between abstraction and instability is obtained through the following expression:

Nominal range

Between 50 % and 100 %.

Analysis

A value of 100 % gives optimal balance between abstraction and instability. In practice, this optimum is never attained, and the user can be satisfied with a value greater than or equal to 50 %.