Minutes

[Michel.Bidoit@lsv.ens-cachan.fr (Michel Bidoit)]

To: cofi-methodology@brics.dk
From: Michel.Bidoit@lsv.ens-cachan.fr
Subject: Minutes of the Methodology Task Group Meeting in Amsterdam, 27 March, 1999. 

                CoFi Task Group on Methodology
                Minutes of the Amsterdam Meeting
		March 27th, 1999.

Contents:
---------
I - List of participants
II - Summary of discussions

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* I - List of participants
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Egidio Astesiano - Hubert Baumeister - Michel Bidoit - Mark van den Brand - 
Maura Cerioli - Christine Choppy - Eva Coscia - Jose Fiadeiro - 
Magne Haveraaen - Heinrich Hussmann - Hélène Kirchner -
Bernd Krieg-Bruckner - Heiko Mantel - Till Mossakowski - Peter Mosses -
Gianna Reggio - Markus Roggenbach - Don Sannella - Axel Schairer - 
Pippo Scollo - P.S. Subramanian - Andrzej Tarlecki - Françoise Tort - 
Martin Wirsing - Alexandre Zamulin.

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* II - Summary of discussions
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CASL User Manual:
-----------------
 
Taking into account the considerable potential overlap (w.r.t. the content)
between the User Manual and the Electronic Tutorial, it has been decided
that Michel Bidoit and Peter Mosses will share efforts and combine both
projects. The aim is to produce a relatively short User Manual (say 60
pages + Appendix), and it is expected that a first draft version will be
available for the next WADT workshop in Bonas. The Steam-boiler case study
will be used to illustrate various features of CASL.


Case Studies Repository:
------------------------

Hubert Baumeister volunteers to prepare a template to describe case studies
of potential interest. This template will be made available on the Web.


CoFI Methodology Web page:
--------------------------

Michel Bidoit will try to prepare a CoFI Methodology Web page, with
pointers to relevant material.

Basic datatypes in CASL, presentation by Markus Roggenbach:
(CoFI Study Note M-6)
-----------------------------------------------------------

A lively discussion has followed the presentation of the Study Note M-6.
In particular the participants have discussed the various methodological
rules used to design the specifications given in the study note (indeed
both the presentation and the discussion were based on an updated version
of the Study Note).

It is expected that a revised version, taking into account the comments
made during the meeting, will be prepared.

Unfortunately, for lack of time, it was not possible to discuss 
"The datatypes REAL and COMPLEX in CASL" (forthcoming Study Note M-7).

The issue whether we should have "one" library of standard CASL
specifications, or several (with possibly several variants of the "same"
specification, e.g., one with total operations, one with partial operations,
one with subsorts) has also been the topics of a lively discussion. 
No decision has been taken, since this issue requires more thinking.
In particular it may be needed to have several variants of the "same"
specification according to the tools that the user may want to use. This
issue is also clearly related to the CASL sublanguages issue.


About the automatic coding of design specifications in Java, presentation
by Eva Coscia:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

JTN is a JAVA-targeted graphic formal notation for reactive systems 
specification. From such a specification it is possible to automatically
derive (the skeleton of) a JAVA program.

Among the issues discussed, the formal semantics of JTN using CASL should
be clarified.


Domain specific languages and software architectures, a challenge for
CASL, presentation by Magne Haveraaen
----------------------------------------------------------------------

See the abstract in a previous e-mail.


Discussion on "Component-based development, links with CoFI and CASL"
---------------------------------------------------------------------

During the discussion it has been stressed that the CoFI group should
closely follow what is going on in this area, including the recent emphasis
and various initiatives on "COTS" (Components Off-The-Shelf). This
discussion was a starting point in this area, and further discussions
should take place on this issue during forthcoming meetings.


Best regards,
Michel Bidoit
Coordinator of the CoFI Task Group on Methodology

PS: Many thanks to Françoise Tort for her help in the preparation of
these minutes.