Forum for Academic Software Engineering Volume 5, Number 17, Wed Jul 26 13:04:21 CDT 1995 Topics: NEW BOOK ANNOUNCEMENT: "Applications of Formal Methods" - ICSE18 AI is alive and well Modular MSc in Safety Critical Systems Engineering Japan's proposed software inspection Call for Papers: Workshop on Use Cases A------------------------------------------------------- From: Michael.Hinchey@cl.cam.ac.uk Subject: NEW BOOK ANNOUNCEMENT: "Applications of Formal Methods" - "Applications of Formal Methods" Michael G. Hinchey & Jonathan P. Bowen (editors) Prentice Hall International Series in Computer Science C.A.R. Hoare, series editor ISBN 0-13-366949-1, Hardback 447pp, GBP 32.95/US$ 49.95 approx. Interest in formal methods continues to grow; unfortunately myths and misconceptions regarding their benefits and application continue to grow also. APPLICATIONS OF FORMAL METHODS is a collection of articles by internationally renowned contributors from both academia and industry which will dispel many of these myths. Each of these essays illustrates the application of formal methods to realistic problems, each with an industrial relevance, in various application domains, describing how they can be scaled to large-scale problems, and providing an evaluation of methods, tools, and validation and verification techniques. Key features include: -- Foreword by C.A.R. Hoare -- Describes real-life examples of the application of formal methods, including descriptions of the methods used, and fragments of specifications which can be used in coursework -- Provides statistical evidence of the benefits of formal methods -- Discusses techniques for scaling formal methods for use at an industrial scale, and means of overcoming technology transfer problems -- Emphasizes tool support and the use of validation and verification techniques APPLICATIONS OF FORMAL METHODS is essential reading for all students of formal methods and system development, as well as project managers considering the introduction of formal methods, and researchers in the field wishing to know more about industrial application and wishing to learn from the experiences of others. From the foreword by Professor C.A.R. Hoare ------------------------------------------- The contribution of this book is exceptionally welcome, since it reports on a range of independent experiments in the application of theories on an industrial scale. In spite of diversity in the areas of application and in the formalisms selected, there is an encouraging uniformity in the overall conclusion: if appropriate attention is also paid to commercial, managerial and educational implications, there is a positive benefit to be achieved by increasing the level of formalism at the earliest possible stages of specification and design; and this benefit can be felt, if not measured, on the occasion of first use. There are grounds for optimism that second use may be even more beneficial. That is why I regard the publication of this book as a milestone in the development of the series. It is a confirmation of the soundness of the goals that we have pursued in the past, and a promise of further achievement in the future. Table of Contents 1. "Applications of Formal Methods FAQ" -- Michael G. Hinchey and Jonathan P. Bowen 2. "Using Mathematical Models in the Inspection of Critical Software" -- David Lorge Parnas 3. "Gaining Assurance with Formal Methods" -- Glenn Bruns and Stuart Anderson 4. "Formal Specification of an Architecture for a Family of Instrumentation Systems" -- David Garlan and Normal Delisle 5. "Formal Specification of the STV Algorithm" -- Paul Mukherjee and Brian A. Wichmann 6. "Application of the B-Method to CICS" -- Jonathan P. Hoare 7. "Formal Verification of the AAMP5 Microprocessor" -- Mandayam Srivas and Stever Miller 8. "Modeling and Verification of a Simple Real-Time Gate Controller" -- William D. Young 9. "CombiCom: Tracking and Tracing Rail Traffic using VDM++" -- Eugene H. Durr, Nico Plat and Michiel de Boer 10. "Formal Development of Safety-Critical Software Systems in Railway Signalling" -- Babak Dehbonei and Fernando Mejia 11. "Z Applied to the A330/340 CIDS Cabin Communication System" -- Ute Hamer and Jan Peleska 12. "Specifying the Kernel of a Secure Distributed Operating System" -- David Guaspari, Mike Seager and Matt Stillerman 13. "Formal Specification of an Aerospace System: The Attitude Monitor" -- Andrew Coombes, Leonor Barroca, John S. Fitzgerald, John A. McDermid, Lynne Spencer and Amer Saed 14. "Developing a Security-Critical System using Formal and Conventional Methods" -- John S. Fitzgerald, Peter Gorm Larsen, Tom Brookes and Michael Green 15. "The Use of Z within a Safety-Critical Software System" -- Vivien Hamilton 16. "Multiparadigm Specification of an AT&T Switching System" -- Peter Mataga and Pamela Zave 17. "Formal Methods Technology Transfer: Impediments and Innovation" -- Dan Craigen, Susan Gerhart and Ted Ralston ORDERING INFORMATION To be published 18 August 1995, advance orders are now being accepted. Order from your bookstore, or directly from: Ms. Jacqueline Harbor, Prentice Hall, Campus 400, Maylands Avenue, Hemel Hempstead, Herts, HP2 7EZ, UK. Tel: +44-1442-882259 Fax: +44-1442-252544 e-mail: Jacqueline_Harbor@prenhall.co.uk A------------------------------------------------------- From: lwerth@cs.utexas.edu (Laurie Werth) Subject: ICSE18 CALL FOR PARTICIPATION CALL FOR PAPERS +---------+ +---------+ | | International 18th International | | | I S E W | Software Conference | I C S E | | | Engineering on Software | | | 9 6 | Week '96 Engineering | 1 8 | | | | | +---------+ +---------+ 22--30 March 1996 25--29 March 1996 Technische Universitaet Berlin Technische Universitaet Berlin ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The International Software Engineering Week '96 (ISEW'96) in Berlin, Germany, is designed to showcase the latest international trends and developments in software engineering practice, research and education. The objectives are to provide a forum to present new software engineering research results, to exchange experience reports regarding the use of software engineering technologies in industry, to expose practitioners to promising new technologies, to expose researchers to the problems of industrial software development, and to encourage the transfer of advanced software engineering technologies from research into practice. ISEW'96 is the premier international software engineering meeting in 1996 combining the 18th International Conference on Software Engineering (ICSE 18) and numerous in-depth software engineering workshops. This meeting is a must for each software engineering practitioner, researcher, and educator in order to keep abreast of international trends and developments. FOR MORE INFORMATION: + Access the ISEW'96 WWW server (URL ``http://www.gmd.de/Events/ISEW96/'') + Send electronic mail (``isew96@informatik.uni-kl.de'') +---------+ CALL FOR PAPERS | | | I C S E | The 18th International Conference | | on Software Engineering | 1 8 | | | Technische Universitaet BERLIN +---------+ 25--29 March 1996 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The International Conference on Software Engineering (ICSE) is the flagship conference of the international software engineering community. The goal of ICSE is to provide a forum to exchange new basic and applied research results, lessons learned from controlled experiments, and experiences from industrial case studies; to expose open questions in practice, research, and education; and to foster discussions between practitioners, researchers and educators. The 18th ICSE will be the main event of the International Software Engineering Week '96 and will offer a mix of reviewed technical papers presented in parallel tracks as well as panels, exhibits, tutorials, and invited lectures. All contributions will be judged on their clarity, significance, soundness, originality, and relevance to software engineering. FOR MORE INFORMATION: + Access the ICSE 18 WWW server (URL ``http://www.gmd.de/Events/ICSE18/'') + Send electronic mail (``icse18@informatik.uni-kl.de'') + Contact the general chair. +---------+ | | CALL FOR PARTICIPATION | I S E W | | | ISEW'96 Workshops | 9 6 | | | Technische Universitaet BERLIN +---------+ 22--30 March 1996 An important feature of the International Software Engineering Week '96 are workshops that address selected areas of software engineering in depth. Each workshop has its own organizing committee. Participation is in most cases limited and will be decided based on position papers. For more detailed information about each workshop, please approach the contact person as listed below. Workshop on Cleanroom Software Engineering. Contact: Anders Sixtensson, Q-Labs, asi@q-labs.se Fourth IEEE Workshop on Program Comprehension (4WPC). Contact: Vaclav Rajlich, Wayne State University, rajlich@cs.wayne.edu International Workshop on Multimedia Software Development. Contact: Max Muehlhaeuser, Univeristaet Linz, max@ali.uni-linz.ac.at International Workshop on Software Configuration Management (SCM6). Contact: Jacky Estublier, L.G.I., Jacky.Estublier@imag.fr Workshop on Technology Transfer. Contact: Guenter Koch, ESI, koch@esi.es Third International Workshop on Software Engineering Education (IWSEE3). The purpose of the IWSEE series is to exchange experiences and discuss new ideas for teaching the difficult subject of software engineering among educators, students, and practitioners. This workshop focuses on experiences with traditional and innovative ways of teaching in different countries. The submission deadline is 1 October 1995. Contact: Jochen Ludewig, Universit\"at Stuttgart, ludewig@informatik.uni-stuttgart.de Eighth International Workshop on Software Specification and Design. Contact: Alexander Wolf, University of Colorado, alw@cs.colorado.edu Workshop on Formal Methods: Theory, Tools, and Applications. Contact: Douglas Smith, Kestrel Institute, smith@kestrel.edu 1st International Workshop on Software Engineering for Parallel and Distributed Systems. Contact: Ian Gorton, CSIRO Division of Information Technology, iango@syd.dit.csiro.au Workshop on High Integrity Systems Engineering. Contact: Bernd Kr\"amer, FernUniversit\"at Hagen, bernd.kraemer@fernuni-hagen.de Symposium on Software Metrics. Contact: Anneliese von Mayrhauser, Colorado State University, avm@cs.colostate.edu A------------------------------------------------------- From: info@ivory.educom.edu (Edupage) Subject: AI is alive and well From Edupage 7/13/95 A recent Commerce Dept. survey indicates that more than 70% of the top 500 U.S. companies are using some form of artificial intelligence in their operations. Although AI software sales probably exceeded $1 billion last year, it's often overlooked as a major force in the software market. "Whenever something works, it ceases to be called AI. It becomes some other discipline instead," such as database marketing or voice recognition, says the head of Ernst & Young's information technology services. (Business Week 7/17/95 p.68) A------------------------------------------------------- From: lwerth@cs.utexas.edu (Laurie Werth) Subject: Modular MSc in Safety Critical Systems Engineering UNIVERSITY OF YORK, ENGLAND, UK DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE Modular MSc in Safety Critical Systems Engineering Applications are invited for this MSc course, supported by the EPSRC's Integrated Graduate Development Scheme, which will be starting on 1st October 1995. SAFETY CRITICAL SYSTEMS Computer-based systems are now used in a wide range of applications in which their failure can cause loss of life, injury and damage to the environment. Such failures may result from incorrect design, manufacture or use of the system. These systems are called Safety Critical Systems. This new modular MSc course is designed to prepare system designers and implementors for work in this demanding field. It emphasises the construction of safety critical software. THE COURSE The course provides: - thorough grounding and practical experience of state of the art techniques, with an emphasis on software; - thorough understanding of the principles behind these techniques; - flexible modular course structure. Existing and emerging Standards, such as DO-178B and IEC 1508, are covered in detail. COURSE MODES The course is available in two modes that lead to an MSc degree: - Full-time: 11 modules are taken over two terms; the project is completed in the remaining 6 months. - Part-time: 11 modules are taken over two years; the project is completed in the third year. Each module is available separately to commercial or academic clients. Existing modules can be tailored or new modules developed in response to requests. COURSE STRUCTURE The course structure comprises: - Two one-week introductory modules; - Nine further one-week modules from the list below; and - A project done in conjunction with a University of York research group and, optionally, industry. Course Modules These modules are available: - Introduction to Safety; - Introduction to Mathematics for Safety; - Software Engineering 1 and 2; - Requirements Engineering; - Timing Analysis; - Safety and Reliability Techniques and Industrial Practice 1 and 2; - Architecture and Device Interfacing; - Software Testing; - Maintenance, Management and Modification; - The Role of the Operator in Safety Critical Systems; - Security; - Legal, Legislative and Environmental Framework; and - Management of Safety Critical Projects. Further modules will be added. All modules are assessed by reports. The project is assessed by a dissertation. Associated Research The MSc is taught in conjunction with: - High Integrity Systems Engineering Research group (leader Prof. John McDermid) - Real-Time Systems group (leader Prof. Alan Burns) - Human-Computer Interaction group (leader Prof. Michael Harrison). These groups comprise 60+ researchers. The Department also houses: - BAe Dependable Computing Systems Centre. - Rolls Royce Systems and Software University Technology Centre. Course Staff The course staff includes: - Prof. Ian Wand, Course Director - Mr. John Clark, CSE Lecturer in Safety Critical Systems and Course Secretary - Dr. Jonathan Moffett, Course Co-ordinator - Dr. Andrew Vickers, Course Lecturer (from 1st September 1995) - Mr. Steve King, Course Lecturer (from 1st October 1995) The main lecturing is done by the in-house staff and the Department Research Groups. External Input The course is run by a small management committee advised by an Industrial Panel (chairman: Prof. Phil Bennett, CSE Ltd.): - Advises on technical content, industrial relevance and projects. - Link with the builders and assessors of Safety Critical systems. - Aim: to ensure the course is up-to-date and well-balanced. External Speakers: - A number of external speakers contribute to the teaching on the course. - Aim: ensure that a full range of expertise is available. Industrial Supervisor: - Projects may have an industrial supervisor. - Aim: to ensure that projects are industrially relevant. The course is based on recommendations from ACARD, the BCS and the IEE. Applicant Background The course is directed at experienced designers and programmers and applicants with industrial experience are preferred. Typically they have achieved at least a lower second class degree in Computer Science or related discipline with an appropriate mathematical basis. Applicants who do not fit this profile will be considered, provided they can demonstrate comparable levels of achievement and competence. Sponsorship Full-time students from the UK may be eligible for EPSRC Advanced Course Studentships. Part-time students should be supported by their employers, but there are a limited number of bursaries available for thise who can demonstrate need, such as self-employed contractors. The course is supported by the Integrated Graduate Development Scheme of the EPSRC. Further Information For informal information, please contact: Jonathan Moffett Course Co-ordinator Tel & Fax: +44 1904 432788 E-mail: jdm@minster.york.ac.uk For a Course Prospectus and application form, please contact: Mrs Maggie Burton Postgraduate Admissions Secretary Tel: +44 1904 432721 Fax: +44 1904 432767 E-mail: maggie@minster.york.ac.uk Both at: Department of Computer Science The University of York Heslington York YO1 5DD England, United Kingdom A------------------------------------------------------- From: info@ivory.educom.edu (Edupage) Subject: Japan's proposed software inspection From Edupage 7/20/95 Software makers are worried that Japan's new policy of requiring that software products coming into the country be certified by the Japan Accreditation Bureau will give the JAB unprecedented access to U.S. software secrets. "People are concerned about Japanese auditors going through their software design process," says a Motorola VP. U.S. software accounted for 32% of the software sold in Japan last year. (Business Week 7/24/95 p.49) From Edupage 7/23/95 JAPAN MAY BACK DOWN ON PROPOSED SOFTWARE INSPECTION An official of Japan's Ministry of International Trade and Industry says the country may delay the implementation of its proposed software quality-assurance process, in response to "substantive objections" from the U.S. U.S. software makers have enlisted the aid of U.S. Trade Representative Mickey Kantor in blocking the proposal. (Wall Street Journal 7/21/95 A7) A------------------------------------------------------- From: bezivin@unantes.univ-nantes.fr (Jean Bezivin) Subject: Call for Papers: Workshop on Use Cases Call for Submissions OOPSLA'95 Workshop on "Requirements Engineering: Use Cases and More" Date: Sunday, 15 October 1995 This is the first call for submissions. More details on the workshop will be made available on the WWW (see URL below). Overview: "How do you know you are building the 'right' software?" "How do you know you are building the software 'right'?" These are two of the fundamental questions in software engineering. The second question has been dealt with extensively in existing object-oriented design methods. The notion of "Use Case" was introduced by Ivar Jacobson to address the first question. It seems useful, at the end of 1995, to investigate ways in which people have been applying use cases and other techniques to answering the first question. We would like to invite participation from anyone who has significant experience or is conducting research in related areas. Goals and Focus: Topics of interest include, but are not limited to: Requirements elicitation and capture - Practical experiences with object-oriented requirements elicitation. - Expressing non-functional requirements. Requirements analysis - From informal to formal requirements. - Organizing and reusing Use Cases. - Verifying testability and completeness of requirements. Mapping Requirements to analysis and design models - Processes for generating object models from requirements. - What notations are needed in the analysis model? - What notations are needed in the design model? - Mapping the problem space to the solution space. Traceability and testing - Use Cases and the testing of O-O software. - Automatic generation of test cases. Concepts and formalization of Use Cases and other methods - Measurement of O-O software. - Applicability to the reengineering process. - Interaction between Use Cases and other methods/formalisms. - Corresponding notions in Knowledge Representation and User Interface contexts. - Tools and environments. Requirements for attendance: Prospective participants are invited to submit a postscript file of their contribution (about 5 pages). Submissions applicable to any of the topics listed above or related areas will be considered. Selected proposals will be made publicly available via the WWW prior to the workshop. (The position paper is due to organizers by August 15. Acceptance by Sept 1.) Organizers: Jean Bezivin bezivin@unantes.univ-nantes.fr Mark Collins markc@cs.colorado.edu Dan Rawsthorne drawstho@du.edu Submissions: Jean Bezivin Telephone: (33) 40 37 30 59 Fax: (33) 40 37 30 56 Email: bezivin@unantes.univ-nantes.fr URL: http://www.unantes.univ-nantes.fr/usecase/index.html E------------------------------------------------------------------- FASE Volume 5 Number 17 Send newsletter articles to fase-submit@d.umn.edu or fase@d.umn.edu Send requests to add, delete, or modify a subscription to fase-request@d.umn.edu Send problem reports, returned mail, or other correspondence about this newsletter to fase-owner@d.umn.edu or kpierce@d.umn.edu You can retrieve back issues by anonymous FTP from from ricis.cl.uh.edu. You can access them through WWW at URL http://ricis.cl.uh.edu/FASE/ Keith Pierce, Editor Laurie Werth, Advisory Committee Department of Computer Science Dept. of Computer Science University of Minnesota, Duluth Taylor Hall 2.124 Duluth, MN 55812-2496 University of Texas at Austin Telephone: (218) 726-7194 Austin, Texas 78712 Fax: (218) 726-6360 Telephone: (512) 471-9535 Email: kpierce@d.umn.edu Fax: (512)471-8885 Email: lwerth@cs.utexas.edu David Eichmann, FASE Archivist Asst. Prof. / RBSE Director of R & D Web: http://ricis.cl.uh.edu/eichmann/ Software Engineering Program Phone: (713) 283-3875 University of Houston - Clear Lake fax: (713) 283-3810 Box 113, 2700 Bay Area Blvd. Email: eichmann@rbse.jsc.nasa.gov Houston, TX 77058 or: eichmann@cl.uh.edu RBSE on the Web: http://rbse.jsc.nasa.gov/eichmann/rbse.html