Abstract
This research is directed toward the construction of a
programming environment which supports the development of distributed software
and systems. We believe that the dominant model for future business,
professional, industrial, and educational information sytems is a
network of heterogeneous computers and terminals. The networks will
span building, city, regional, national, and international areas. The
terminals will have a wide range of local input, display, and
processing power. The environment we envision will support software
development for these loosely coupled, heterogeneous networks.
A set of integrated tools will be built on Ada programming support
environment including a uniform interactive graphical user interface,
a forms-based applicative programming tool, and software prototyping
tools. The user's interface with the environment will be compatible
from the laboratory, office, or home; with the only difference being
response time and display resolution. Virtual terminal protocols and
dynamic software migration will support this interface which will be
implemented for high resolution monochrome and color displays, personal
computer displays, and simple terminals. The forms-based management tool
will support high quality documentation systems and a configuration
management database. The software prototyping tools will support
animated target system simulation, interactive graphical monitoring and control
of executing programs and simulations, and finally, embedding prototype
programs in a target system.
