[comp.lang.prolog] Workshop at LP-88

paul@aiva.ed.ac.uk (Paul Brna) (08/06/88)

         Workshop on Prolog Tools and Environments
           Paul Brna, Alan Bundy and Helen Pain

We are running a workshop on Prolog Tools and Environments during 
the LP-88 conference in Seattle. If you would like to participate
then email me (before August 13th) at:

        P.Brna%edinburgh.ac.uk@nss.cs.ucl.ac.uk

and tell me your name, address (mail and email) and a list of specific
issues that you would like to address.  It would be appreciated if you
are prepared to talk for 5-15 mins.

We hope to discuss: the development of better program development
environments; the development of a strategy for improving Prolog
environments; and closer cooperation between interested parties.  We are
also interested in informing the Logic Programming community about new
and possible further developments.

We suggest that the workshop time be loosely divided up to reflect 
the interests of those present. For example, we might well divide 
up our time along these lines:

	* Monitoring Tools: new or extended models of Prolog 
          execution, graphical trace packages and other tracers

	* Debugging Tools: progress on (partially) automated 
          debugging, new features for analysing Prolog execution, 
          etc

	* Static Analysis Tools: the use of type inferencing, 
          mode inferencing, etc, in detecting errors in code

	* Handling large programs: modules, project management etc

	* Integration Issues: integrating tools in a common 
          environment, integrating Prolog with other languages


Our own motivation is the feeling that there are many interesting
developments which need to be outlined and discussed in relation to a
number of issues:

	* Maintaining a consistent view of logic programs

	* Identifying the tools that need further development

	* Considering the needs of programmers

	* Determining the nature of tools needed by novices and by
          experts

	* The integration of tools

	* Announcements of new tools

Although a number of papers will be presented at the conference that
address these issues, we believe that the conference provides interested
parties with the opportunity to meet together for further, useful
discussion.

The current plan is to hold the workshop from 13.30 to 17.30 on
Wednesday, 17th August.  The advantage for us is that there is nothing
timetabled that afternoon.  I will arrange an announcement about the
exact meeting place once we are all in Seattle.


	Paul Brna
	Department of Artificial Intelligence
	University of Edinburgh
	80 South Bridge
	EDINBURGH EH1 1HN
	Scotland