Authors: Robert Biddle, Ewan Tempero
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When talking about software reuse, a problem that very quickly becomes apparent is ``what is being used?''. In this paper, we introduce the concept of {\em assembly}, a unit of reusable software. This allows us to more sensibly compare different strategies for software reuse. We believe this concept is scalable to all levels, from intra-program reuse to inter-program reuse. In particular, it allows us to unify two forms of reuse, composition reuse and generative reuse, that have traditionally been regarded as distinct. This is part of a model we are developing for describing how software reuse is supported by software development systems.