ISO/IEC JTC1/SC22/WG9 N 328

Convener's Report, ISO/IEC JTC1/SC22/WG9 (Ada)

Prepared by: James W. Moore, moorej@acm.org, 27 May 1997.

This report is in the form of the requested "Business Plan." Other items are included in an additional Section 4.

BUSINESS PLAN FOR ISO/IEC JTC1/SC22/WG9 (Ada)

PERIOD COVERED:

June 1996 - May 1997

SUBMITTED BY:

Convener of ISO/IEC JTC1/SC22/WG9
James W. Moore
The MITRE Corporation, W534
1820 Dolley Madison Blvd.
McLean, Virginia 22102
USA
703.883.7396 (Office)
703.883.5432 (Fax)
moorej@acm.org

1. MANAGEMENT SUMMARY

1.1 JTC1/SC22/WG9 STATEMENT OF SCOPE

Development of ISO standards for Programming Language Ada

1.2 PROJECT REPORT

1.2.1 COMPLETED PROJECTS
22.10.01 -- IS 8652:1995 Programming Languages: Ada
Planning for the revision of 8652 is commencing.
22.10.02 -- IS 11430:1994 Generic Package of Elementary Functions for Ada
22.10.03 -- IS 11729:1994 Generic Package of Primitive Functions for Ada
The contents of 11430 and 11729 are substantively subsumed by the subsequent approval of the 1995 revision of 8652. These standards will probably be withdrawn circa 1999.
22.31 -- IS 12227:1995 SQL/Ada Module Description Language (SAMeDL)
WG9 has determined that the revision of 12227 is currently unnecessary; this decision will be reconsidered periodically.
22.35 -- (Type 2) TR 11735:1996 EXTensions for real-time Ada
The contents of 11735 are substantively subsumed by the 1995 revision of 8652. This Technical Report will be withdrawn when usage of the 1987 version of the Ada language has diminished.
1.2.2 PROJECTS UNDERWAY
22.10.04 -- DIS 13813 Generic packages of real and complex type declarations and basic operations for Ada (including vector and matrix types)
WG9 has submitted this document for DIS ballot. Completion in 1998 is planned.
22.10.05 -- DIS 13814 Generic package of complex elementary functions for Ada
WG9 has submitted this document for DIS ballot. Completion in 1998 is planned.
22.15291-- WD 15291 Ada Semantic Interface Specification (ASIS)
At the August plenary meeting of SC22, permission will be requested for simultaneous CD registration and ballot of this document. Completion in early 1999 is planned.
1.2.3 NEW PROJECTS
At its June meeting, WG9 will consider proposing a New Work Item for Ada in High-Integrity Systems. The product would be a Technical Report describing how Ada might be applied to the most demanding of safety-critical and security-critical systems. Liaison with interested national and international organizations (such as IEC TC56) is envisioned, and, in fact, is already occurring on an informal basis.
1.2.4 COOPERATION AND COMPETITION
There are two major professional societies in this area: the Special Interest Group on Ada (SIG) of the Association for Computing Machinery and Ada-Europe. The semi-annual meetings of WG9 are scheduled to coincide with the major conferences organized by these two groups. Informal but close cooperation with SIGAda is maintained by the convener. The UK Head of Delegation to WG9 is also an officer of Ada-Europe.

There is one major vendor consortium, the Ada Resource Association (ARA). Formal liaison with ARA is maintained. WG9 is looking for opportunities to transpose de facto standards from the ARA.

The United States Department of Defense (DOD), Ada Joint Program Office (AJPO) has a continuing interest in the Ada language. Liaison is assured because AJPO funds the convener to serve in his position.

In addition, liaison and/or consultation are applied as appropriate with WG4 (Cobol), WG11 (Language-Independent Standards), WG14 (C Language), WG15 (POSIX), WG16 (LISP), WG21 (C++), SC21/WG3 (IRDS), the SC22 Java Study Group, and the IEEE Computer Society Software Engineering Standards Committee.

2.0 PERIOD REVIEW

2.1 MARKET REQUIREMENTS

The most fundamental change in the market has been action by the US DOD to drop its "mandate" of Ada in all military systems. The choice of language to be used will now be made by each individual development program. Certain segments of the DOD apparently remain committed to favoring Ada, notably the real-time, embedded systems community. DOD has committed to increase funding to support the activities of the AJPO.

2.2 ACHIEVEMENTS

Published: (Type 2) TR 11735:1996 EXTensions for real-time Ada

DIS text submitted: DIS 13813 Generic packages of real and complex type declarations and basic operations for Ada (including vector and matrix types)

DIS text submitted: DIS 13814 Generic package of complex elementary functions for Ada

A Web page was established for the business of WG9, "http://www.dkuug.dk/JTC1/SC22/WG9/".

2.3 RESOURCES

With the completion of the major language revision, available resources are declining, as expected. All new work item suggestions are screened by the requirement for active support from five national bodies. This has worked well, resulting in the decision not to pursue one possible project and explicit commitments from national bodies supporting another possible project.

3.0 FOCUS NEXT WORK PERIOD

Aside from the specific deliverables described below, the most important task of WG9 is to set up a defect resolution and clarification process for IS 8652; this work would eventually lead to formal COR or AMD documents or to a revision of the base standard. So that preliminary defect reports and clarifications may be properly circulated among the entire community of concern, it is necessary that they be openly available without copyright restrictions. The current uncertainty regarding the copyright issue endangers satisfactory performance of this task. Even the one-year trial relaxation of the policy is inadequate because the threat remains that once such material is introduced into the JTC1 process, it is subject to imposition of copyright in the future.

3.1 DELIVERABLES

It is anticipated that DIS 13813 and DIS 13814 will be approved during the next twelve months.

It is anticipated that WD 15291 will reach FCD stage during the next twelve months.

3.2 STRATEGIES

Routine processing will suffice to achieve our goals for DIS 13813 and DIS 13814.

To achieve the goal for WD 15291, WG9 will request simultaneous CD registration and balloting of WD 15291.

3.2.1 RISKS
Unexpectedly heavy technical comment could delay any of the strategies described above. WG9 has mitigated this risk by providing mechanisms for full treatment of NB technical concerns at the WG level.
3.2.2 OPPORTUNITIES
WG9 is considering whether to request simultaneous CD registration and FCD balloting of WD 15291.

3.3 WORK PROGRAM PRIORITIES

  1. The item described in Section 3.0 is the top concern of WG9. (Unfortunately, satisfactory resolution of the copyright issue is beyond the control of WG9.) Much of the appeal of the Ada language is based upon the precision of its specification and the robust (but now informal) process of language clarification.
  2. Secondary concerns are the progress of DIS 13813, DIS 13814 and WD 15291.
  3. Acceptance of new work is a tertiary concern.

4. OTHER ITEMS

This section lists other items that are not part of the "Business Plan" but are appropriate for Convener's Report.

4.1 ACTION REQUESTED AT FORTHCOMING PLENARY

WG9 requests approval for simultaneous CD registration and balloting of WD 15291.

4.2 APPOINTMENT OF NEW CONVENER

James W. Moore has been acting as convener since December 1996 and was formally appointed to the position in May 1997.

4.3 AWARD TO RETIRING CONVENER

Retiring convener, Robert Mathis, was presented with an Outstanding Ada Community Service Award by the Association for Computing Machinery for his accomplishments as convener of WG9.

4.4 MIGRATION TO ELECTRONIC DISTRIBUTION

WG9 is moving rapidly toward electronic distribution. Recent WG9 documents, including a ballot, have been exchanged exclusively via email. A Web page, "http://www.dkuug.dk/JTC1/SC22/WG9/" provides documents for consultation.

4.5 CONCERN WITH COPYRIGHT POLICY

As noted in Section 3.0, continuing uncertainty regarding ISO copyright policy hampers progress toward an effective defect reporting and clarification process.

4.6 FUTURE MEETINGS

4.7 RECENT MEETINGS