djcl@contact.uucp (woody) (09/27/90)
Summary of Plenary Assemblies of the International Telegraph and Telephone Consultative Committee (CCITT): Every four years, CCITT holds a session to update international telephone and telecommunication standards. The next one is due in 1992. Here are the locations dates of the sessions to date, along with the colour of the books that resulted from each session (the latest is the Blue Book series from 1988's session). Session Location Dates Book Colour ------- ---------------------- ------------- ----------- I Geneva 10-20 Dec '56 Red II New Delhi 8-16 Dec '60 Red III Geneva 15-27 Jun '64 Blue IV Mar del Plata 23 Sep-25 Oct '68 White V Geneva 4-15 Dec '72 Green VI Geneva 27 Sep-8 Oct '76 Orange VII Geneva 10-21 Nov '80 Yellow VIII Molaga-Torremolinos 8-19 Oct '84 Red IX Melbourne 14-25 Nov '88 Blue It appears that the book colours are forming a cycle. If so, the books coming out of the '92 conference, wherever that will be, will be white. The announcement for the '92 conference will likely show up in an edition of the ITU's _Telecommunication_Journal_ at some point. Various study groups are formed to tackle various questions of standards and policies. To be studies in 1989-92 are 16/I (public international directory services) or 34/I (international telecommunication credit card service). One of the first volumes of the Blue Book series should have some details on that. On a side note, it is interesting to note that the CCITT has developed standards for a programming language called CHILL (CCITT High Level Language). I don't know if this is actually in use anywhere, or if there have been any CHILL compilers/interpreters developed. It's an interesting language, what with various set operators developed, and the typical 'if', 'for' and 'while' looping mechanisms. The preceding was distilled from a recent quick run into Ottawa; this information is subject to spelling or errors of reading things too quickly. Any corrections or additional information would be appreciated.
hrs1@cbnewsi.att.com (09/29/90)
In article <12700@accuvax.nwu.edu>, djcl@contact.uucp (woody) writes: > It appears that the book colours are forming a cycle. If so, the books > coming out of the '92 conference, wherever that will be, will be > white. A decision has been made by Dr. Theo Irmer, the Director of the CCITT, that color books will no longer be published. Instead, Recommendations will be published when approved. This approval no longer needs to wait until a Plenary Assembly. The 1988 Melbourne Plenary Assembly approved. among othrt things, Resolution No.2. This resolution empowers each Study Group to approve a Recommenadtion at any time by going through a defined process. Once the Recommendtion is approved it will be issued and published by the CCITT. At the recent September meeting of Study Group VIII (Telematic Terminals, i.e. facsimile, Teletex, videotex, document transfer) two revised Recommendations, one new Recommendation, and amendments to 5 other recommendations were approved for these Res. 2 procedures. >The announcement for the '92 conference will likely show up in an >edition of the ITU's _Telecommunication_Journal_ at some point. >On a side note, it is interesting to note that the CCITT has developed >standards for a programming language called CHILL (CCITT High Level >Language). I don't know if this is actually in use anywhere, or if >there have been any CHILL compilers/interpreters developed. It's an >interesting language, what with various set operators developed, and >the typical 'if', 'for' and 'while' looping mechanisms. Yes CHILL is used, mainly in the electronic switching system environment. Herman Silbiger
jack@swlabs.uucp (Jack Bonn) (10/01/90)
In article <12700@accuvax.nwu.edu> djcl@contact.uucp (woody) writes: >On a side note, it is interesting to note that the CCITT has developed >standards for a programming language called CHILL (CCITT High Level >Language). I don't know if this is actually in use anywhere, or if >there have been any CHILL compilers/interpreters developed. It's an >interesting language, what with various set operators developed, and >the typical 'if', 'for' and 'while' looping mechanisms. Interesting is certainly an understatement regarding CHILL. It has all the strengths and weaknesses of a strongly typed language and reminds me more than a little of what I have seen of ADA. [I wish I had $1 for every time the difference between synmode and newmode had to be explained to newcomers.] Yes, it was used. Here in Connecticut at ITT's Telecommunication Technology Center (TTC, later called ATC) a compiler was developed for CHILL in the late 70's and early 80's. The System 12 digital switch was developed in CHILL both here and in Europe. The development platform was the IBM mainframe and the target was the 8086. Rumor has it that the System 12 development cost approx. $1.2 billion (where billion == one thousand million). The French firm Alcatel bought ITT out of the telecommunications business (although ITT retained some piece of the action) and moved the operation out of the US. But I am sure System 12 is still written in CHILL. Siemans in Florida has used CHILL. I had also heard that AG in Phoenix, Arizona is/was also using CHILL. Jack Bonn, KC1UH, <> Software Labs, Ltd, Box 451, Easton CT 06612 uunet!swlabs!jack (UUCP) jack@kc1uh (TCP/IP) kc1uh@wb1cqo (AX.25)