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FWD: Call for discussion (formal methods)

This sounds like a discussion many of you will want to join, or at least
read.

Jim H.

------- Forwarded Message

From: rfrance@pts.mot.com (Robert France)
Date: Tue, 28 Jun 1994 21:15:08 GMT
Subject: Call for discussion (formal methods)
Newsgroups: comp.software-eng,comp.specification,comp.specification.z,comp.object
Reply-To: rfrance@pts.mot.com

As part of the WIFT'95 (W/shop on Industrial-strength Formal specification
Techniques) effort, a distribution list for discussions on facilitators
and inhibitors to the industrial use of FSTs has been set up.
Below is the call for discussion that was issued yesterday on the list. 
Persons who would like to join the discussions or would like more information
on WIFT'95 can send email to robert@cse.fau.edu. 
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CALL FOR DISCUSSION (WIFT'95)

I would like to initiate discussions on the problems
of `industrializing' FSTs and on proposed solutions. By `industrializing'
I mean developing and packaging FSTs in such a way that they are fit
for consumption by practitioners (with no ensuing choking or vomitting :-)).
We've all heard the reasons for the slow pick-up of FSTs in industry:
lack of tools, problems with scalability, problems with understanding
mathematical concepts, etc.
Are these `excuses' valid? Do they mask other more fundamental problems
with FSTs? What are the social and technical facilitators and inhibitors
to FST use in industry? What areas can benefit from the use of FSTs?
How do we measure the benefits of FSTs? What are the risks associated
with FST use?

Proposed (partial) solutions include developing semi-automated specification
development environments; integrating formal and informal approaches to
specification development; specification animation; FST training/education;
etc. What problems do these approaches address? What more is needed?

To kick off we can probably have some of the practitioners (those
applying FSTs to industrial-scale problems) tell us about their
experiences with FSTs. Send email to wift95@cse.fau.edu. I will
be posting some proposed solutions by researchers later.

Hope to hear from you soon!

Cheers,

Robert

P.S. Remember, deadline for submitted papers (to WIFT'95) is August 26, 1994.

Robert


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