A feature interaction benchmark for the first feature interaction detection contest

The feature interaction problem is an inherently difficult problem that aff ects the entire software life cycle for development of new features for rea ctive systems. A considerable body of work has been created over the last 1 0 years addressing this problem. To encourage testing and comparing differe nt approaches to the problem, a feature interaction detection contest was h eld for the Fifth International Workshop on Feature Interactions in Telecom munications and Software Systems. The contest required the participants to use automated tools to address the feature interaction problem in the requi rements phase of feature development. The participants were required to dis cover the pair-wise feature interactions inherent in the requirements for a collection of Features. This special issue of COMNET contains the best pap ers from the participants in that contest. Although there could be only one winner of the contest, all of the approaches represented here provide usef ul insight into how to approach the feature interaction problem as it affec ts the requirements phase of feature development. We hope that subsequent c ontests will provide opportunities to refine these approaches and to addres s other phases of feature development. (C) 2000 Published by Elsevier Scien ce B.V. All rights reserved.