FEEDBACK (please) on new version of BKB's Concrete Syntax Proposal

[Bernd Krieg-Brueckner <bkb@informatik.uni-bremen.de>]

Dear Language Designers etc.,

Before presenting a "final" version of BKB's Concrete Syntax Proposal for
CASL to the IFIP WG, I would like to have as much feedback from you as
possible. I have installed a new version (still lacking more examples
etc.), trying to take into account reactions at Paris and CASL design
changes, for you to check out:
 http://www.informatik.uni-bremen.de/~agbkb/CoFI/CASL/syntax/syntax.0.3.5.ps

In an appendix to this message you will find a brief account of changes
made since version 0.2 presented at Paris. Several details have been
simplified.

Please let me have your reactions overall (and in detail, if possible),
but in particular to the following questions:

do you like
- the changes listed in the appendix below?
- the glyphs chosen (Preferred, Plain)? better ideas for <- , protect, where ?
- the precedence hierarchy of (suggested) predefined operators? better ideas?

Please help by providing more convincing examples, in particular for
architectural and unit specifications, fitting morphisms, local extensions,
etc.

If you can find the time, please resond to some of the
questions/suggestions for alternatives in the (end)notes of the proposal
document.

*** PLEASE REPLY TO *ME*       ***   [and *NOT* to cofi-language]
*** NO LATER THAN FRIDAY 9 MAY ***

I will then install the final version of the proposal hopefully by May 15,
definitely before the end of that week.

Thanks a lot!
Bernd
--------------------- changes since version 0.2 -----------------

- synonyms for "fancy" function ids for the Preferred presentation
- new SubsortDecl, Data TypeDecl, SortGen (re)declare Sort ids, are more
uniform
- new Attributions look like (abbreviated) axioms
- keywords in the large, no operator symbols except for union and extension
- new style of "boxes" in ExtendedSpec (the lines came out a little too fat)
- local extension by sqiggly line
- GenSpecType now analogous to Extension; better ideas for "protec"t?
- new UnitDefn, ParamUnitTerm

All changes in the syntax rules since version 0.2 are marked by underlining.
Sorry if this hinders reading a bit.

___________________________________________________________________
Prof. Dr. Bernd Krieg-Brueckner    courier mail only:
FB3 Mathematik und Informatik      MZH 8071, FB3
Universitaet Bremen                Universitaet Bremen
Postfach 330 440                   Bibliothekstr. 1
D-28334 Bremen                     D-28359 Bremen

Telefon: (+49) 421-218-3660        telefax: (+49) 421-218-3054
bkb@Informatik.Uni-Bremen.DE       privat:  (+49) 421-25-1024
http://www.informatik.uni-bremen.de/~bkb/