[comp.lang.c++] OO Specification and Design Workshop

normk@tekcrl.CRL.TEK.COM (Norm Kerth) (08/02/88)

METHODOLOGIES AND OBJECT-ORIENTED PROGRAMMING WORKSHOP

To be held at OOPSLA '88 on September 26th - 9:00-5:00


Workshop Objective:

     Where do Objects Come From?  A Discussion on Specifica-
     tion  and  Design Approaches Leading to Object Oriented
     Programming.

Workshop Issues:

     We  have  seen  significant  advantages   from   object
     oriented programming, such as software reuse of objects
     and flexibility through dynamic binding.  But practical
     deployment  of  OOP  is  hampered  by  our inability to
     specify  and  design  large  systems  in  a  methodical
     manner.  A manner that leads us to a point where we can
     identify objects and allows us  to  carefully  consider
     the  alternatives of object decomposition and construc-
     tion.

     Some people have suggested that Structured Analysis  is
     adequate  for  specification  but  the  translation  to
     Structured Design must be replaced.  Others  have  sug-
     gested  that extensions to Entity-Relationship diagrams
     give a great deal of insight.  Those  with  correctness
     concerns   have  observed  that  Hoare's  work  on  the
     correctness of data representations and  Guttag's  work
     on   algebraic  specifications  and  Liskov's  work  on
     abstract data types can be used to formally define  and
     prove   assertions   about   an  object.   While  these
     approaches and others do aid in  our  understanding  to
     some degree, it is clear that we have not found a fully
     satisfactory approach.

     The purpose of this workshop is to provide a forum  and
     discussion  for  researchers  and practitioners working
     with these issues.  Admittance will be based on a posi-
     tion   paper,   reviewed  by  three  reviewers  (to  be
     selected).  A fair distribution between   academia  and
     industry will be maintained. Methodologists and experi-
     enced OOP programmers are encouraged to submit position
     papers.

     Please submit a one  or  two  page  position  paper  by
     August  15th.   Participants  will  be notified by Sep-
     tember 1st.

Send position paper to:

            Norman L. Kerth                     (503) 297-8677
            11521 NW Laidlaw Rd.
            Portland, OR 97229

            Warning: e-mail may not be delivered; use surface mail.