****************REQUIREMENTS ENGINEERING NEWSLETTER******************** No. 16. Contents 1. ACM/SIGSOFT'93: "Foundations of Software Engineering" Conference (Hal Hart) 2. BalticDB'94 (Janis Bubenko) 3. CoopIS '94 -- CALL FOR PAPERS (Emon Mortazavi) ---ANNOUNCEMENTS & ABSTRACTS OF TECHNICAL REPORTS ARE PARTICULARLY WELCOME!--- Contributions to: re-list@doc.ic.ac.uk (will be moderated) Subscription or Removal to: re-request@doc.ic.ac.uk Back issues can be obtained via anonymous ftp from ftp-host: dse.doc.ic.ac.uk (IP number: 146.169.2.20). Directory: requirements. Files are called renl1, renl2, etc. If you cannot use ftp then you can get any back issues using email. Send email containing the following to ftpmail@doc.ic.ac.uk open dse.doc.ic.ac.uk cd requirements get quit ********************************************************************** From: Hal Hart - SIGSOFT93 Local Arrangements Chair Subject: ACM/SIGSOFT'93: "Foundations of Software Engineering" Conference SIGSOFT'93 in Redondo Beach =========================== ACM/SIGSOFT's annual conference will be hosted by LA ACM at the Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza in Redondo Beach, CA, Dec. 7-10. SIGSOFT'93 focuses on innovative research results that identify and contribute to the foundations of software engineering and that are helping to establish a viable software engineering discipline. Titled "Foundations of Software Engineering," the conference features a one-day tutorial program on Tuesday, Dec. 7, and a two and half-day technical program of keynotes, refereed papers, and panels Wednesday-Friday noon, Dec. 8-10. Turing Award winner C.A.R. Hoare wil give Tuesday afternoon's tutorial as well as the opening keynote address. Barry Boehm of USC is Chair of this first-of-a-kind conference. The Dec.7 tutorials include a choice of 3 morning tutorials: - "Architectures for Software Systems" by David Garlan & Mary Shaw (CMU) - "Software Development Using Formal Specifications (written in Larch)" by John Guttag (MIT) - "Software Testing: Foundations, Current Techniques, and Advanced Technology" by Debra Richardson (UC Irvine) and one afternoon tutorial: - "CSP (Communicating Sequential Processes) Principles and Experiences" by C.A.R. "Tony" Hoare (Oxford) The registration fees for TUTORIALS are: for ACM members: - $210 for AM or PM, $310 for both AM & PM for non-members: - $240 for AM or PM, $360 for both AM & PM for full-time Students: - $120 for AM or PM, $220 for both AM & PM if pre-registered - $160 for AM or PM, $260 for both AM & PM for onsite walk-ins Fees for the Dec. 8-10 CONFERENCE are: for ACM members: - $340 for non-members: - $390 for full-time Students: $100. For the Advanced Program and registration materials, send request to "kay@trwarcadia.sdd.trw.com" on InterNet or call Kay at 310/814-3451. ********************************************************************** From: Janis Bubenko Subject: BalticDB'94 CALL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS BalticDB'94 *** Baltic Workshop on NATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE DATABASES: - Problems, Methods, and Experiences. * Vilnius, Lithuania 17-20 May, 1994 The workshop is supported by: The Swedish Institute, The Commission of the European Communities, Directorate General for Industry, The Swedish Institute for Systems Development, the Baltic VLDB Fund, Stockholm, and organised in co-operation with the VLDB Endowment's Tutorial Series. Additional supporters are negotiated. OBJECTIVE The objective of the workshop is to bring together researchers as well as practitioners in the field of large databases for public administration, serving as vital components in national infrastructures. Particular emphasis will be placed on problems, issues, and opportunities in the Baltic states and in their developing societies and economies. The workshop will address theoretical and methodological as well as usage oriented and political issues related to the technology of data bases and their application. The workshop seeks to gather professionals from the Baltic countries and experts from the rest of the world, to present and discuss their findings and experiences, thereby promoting future contacts and co-operation. The workshop includes, but is not limited to, the following topics: - requirements engineering for database applications - conceptual modelling methods and languages - knowledge databases - database design methods - management of rules in databases - multi-national databases, database communication - database security - modern, public distributed database systems - national information infrastructure development - information management economics - legal aspects of databases and information management - law database systems WORKSHOP STRUCTURE: The workshop language is English (talks as well as publications). The workshop (4 days) will tentatively consist of a number of mini-tutorial (1-1.5 hour) presentations (by invited international experts), 2-3 panel sessions (1.5 hours) on topics of general interest and relevance, and a number of submitted paper sessions (30 minute presentations), exposing research as well as practice internationally and in the Baltic database and information systems engineering community. EXHIBITION The workshop will be paralleled by an exhibition of international as well as Baltic software products in the Information system, Database and Software Engineering area. International exhibitors will be charged an exhibition fee of 1.500 USD. REGISTRATION FEE The registration fee is 200 USD/person. It includes lunches, coffee, reception, and a banquet. CALL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS International contributions are sought as submitted papers as well as exhibitors. Persons/parties interested in contributing a paper and/or to the exhibition, are welcome to indicate this before 15 January, 1994, to: Janis Bubenko jr, SISU, Electrum 212, S-16440, Kista, Sweden. Phone: +46-8-7521608, Fax: +46-8-7526800. E-mail: janis@sisu.se Submitted papers are welcome as extended abstracts, sent by e-mail, before January 15, 1994. Notification of acceptance will be by February 15, 1994. Full, accepted papers are due March 15, 1994. Please use the form at the end of this mail to indicate your interest as early as possible. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Saulius Maskeliunas, Institute of Mathematics and Informatics, Akademijos str. 4, 2600 Vilnius, Lithuania. Phone: +730-2-620529 or +730-2-620011, Fax: +730-2-359209. E-mail: mask@vss.mii.lt Janis Bubenko jr, SISU, Electrum 212, S-16440, Kista, Sweden. Phone: +46-8-7521608, Fax: +46-8-7526800. E-mail: janis@sisu.se WORKSHOP OFFICERS GENERAL CHAIRPERSON: Rimantas Seinauskas, Kaunas University of Technology. ORGANISING CHAIRPERSON: Vytautas Cyras, Vilnius University. PROGRAM COMMITTEE CO-CHAIRPERSONS: Janis Bubenko jr, Royal Institute of Technology and SISU, Stockholm Arne Solvberg, Norwegian Institure of Technology, Trondheim ORGANISING COMMITTEE J. Borzovs, Institute for Mathematics and Computer Science, Latvia A. Caplinskas, Institute of Mathematics and Informatics, Lithuania J. Grundspenkis, Riga Technical University R. Gustas, Kaunas University of Technology A. Isotamm, Tartu University, Institute of Business Informatics and Economic Modelling A. Kalja, Institute of Cybernetics of Estonian Academy of Sciences, S. Maskeliunas, Institute of Mathematics and Informatics, Lithuania A. Mitasiunas,Vilnius University E. Telesius, Vilnius University O. Vasilecas, Vilnius Technical University PROGRAM COMMITTEE J. Barzdins, Institute for Mathematics and Computer Science, Latvia A. Baskas, Institute of Mathematics and Informatics, Lithuania J. Borzovs, Institute for Mathematics and Computer Science, Latvia Z. Brazaitis, Vilnius University A. Caplinskas, Institute of Mathematics and Informatics, Lithuania J. Eiduks, Riga Technical University J. Folkmanis, CEC, Brussels J. Grundspenkis, Riga Technical University H-M. Haav, Institute of Cybernetics of Estonian Academy of Sciences B. Paradauskas, Kaunas University of Technology K. Podnieks, Institute for Mathematics and Computer Science, Latvia J. Poial, Tartu University J. Tenteris, Software House Riga J. Tepandi, Tallinn Technical University TRAKAI - THE SITE OF THE WORKSHOP The former residence of Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Trakai is the favourite outing place of Vilnius's inhabitants, 28 kilometres (18 English miles) from the city. The red brick castle was built in the beginning of the 15th century on an island of Galves Lake. The Trakai Castle Museum offers an exhibition on prehistoric findings and the Lithuanian Grand Dukes. The Trakai Lakes offer the variety of watersports. It is expected that most workshop participants will stay at a hotel in Trakai. Daily transportation to and from Vilnius is available by busses. Also a train service is available. ___________________________________________________________ BalticDB'94 EARLY REPLY FORM: Please e-mail or fax this to: BalticDB'94 c/o Professor Janis A. Bubenko jr SISU, ELECTRUM 212, S-164 40, Kista, Sweden Phone: +46-8-752-1608 Fax: +46-8-752-6800 E-mail: janis@sisu.se Title _________ First name ___________ Last name ______________________ Address _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ Country ____________________ Phone ___________________ Fax ________________________ E-mail ________________________________________ We/I plan to - submit an extended abstract or paper to BalticDB'94 - submit a proposal to participate in the exhibition - attend the conference - please put me on your e-mailing list for further information IMPORTANT DATES 15 January, 1994 Extended abstracts or papers due 15 January, 1994 Proposals for exhibition due 15 February, 1994 Notification of acceptance 15 March, 1994 Full papers due 17-20 May, 1994 Workshop ********************************************************************** From: em02@gte.com (Emon Mortazavi) Subject: CoopIS '94 -- CALL FOR PAPERS CALL FOR PAPERS SECOND INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON COOPERATIVE INFORMATION SYSTEMS (CoopIS'94) Formerly "Intelligent & Cooperative Information Systems (ICICIS)" May 17-20, 1994 Royal York Hotel, Toronto, Canada Supported by the Information Technology Research Centre of Ontario Sponsored by the University of Toronto In cooperation with ACM SIGOIS and ACM SIGMOD (pending approval) TSUNAMI - THE TIDAL WAVE IS HERE -------------------------------- Within most organizations, worldwide, mission critical information systems (ISs) already cooperate or are being converted to do so to meet basic business requirements. Due to the lack of appropriate concepts, techniques, and tools, this is being done using primitive means thereby creating problems that will dwarf those of current legacy information systems. This conference is devoted to addressing this tidal wave facing the information systems community. COOPERATIVE INFORMATION SYSTEMS: THE NEXT GENERATION AND THE CHALLENGE ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The paradigm for the next generation of ISs will involve large numbers of ISs distributed over large, complex computer/communication networks. This ranges from the vast and visionary Electronic Superhighway, to the large and complex billing system of a telephone company, an even to the small patient information system in a one-doctor office. Such ISs will manage or have access to large amounts of information and computing services. They will support individual or collaborative human work. Computation will be conducted concurrently over the network by software systems that range from conventional to advanced application systems including expert systems, and multiagent planning systems. Information and services will be available in many forms through legacy and new information repositories that support a host of information services. Communication among component systems will be done in a centralized or distributed fashion, using communication protocols that range from conventional ones to those based on distributed AI. We call such next generation ISs Cooperative Information Systems (CIS). Soon, the operation of a one-doctor office may critically depend on its ISs' ability to cooperate with foreign ISs not just for reimbursement (i.e., required by insurance organizations) but also for patients (e.g., exchanging information in medical crises). Demand for more efficient processes and use of all resources will come from economic and business conditions (e.g., competition, imperative for wider marketplaces, and cooperation and distribution in the production of goods and services) that have led to downsizing and re-engineering . IS technology, one of the largest costs of many organizations, can be the problem, or part of the solution. The demands are pervasive from vast organizations to very small. The requirements span conventional organizational and legal boundaries such as countries, companies (e.g., virtual companies), disciplines (e.g., concurrent engineering spanning a products entire life span). The CIS paradigm is evolving to meet these demands thus raising challenges for the supporting technologies. Unlike previous major computing advances based on single technologies, the CIS paradigm will evolve from the integration of many, currently disjoint technologies. Database Systems will contribute information management techniques, particularly for distributed or heterogeneous databases, as well as efficient implementation techniques for information bases. Artificial Intelligence will contribute knowledge representation and reasoning techniques, on the one hand, and distributed problem solving and planning techniques in a multiagent environment on the other. Operating Systems will contribute resource management techniques over large distributed computer/communications networks. Programming Languages will contribute languages and type/object systems for cooperative programming. Software/Knowledge/Information Engineering will contribute design and development environments/shells and methodologies for CIS development and evolution. Computer Communications will provide the necessary underlying communication and interconnection technology. Other relevant technologies include: Computer Supported Cooperative Work, Distributed Computing, Organizational Computing, and Interoperability. The challenge is to effectively combine these technologies and their contributions to meet CIS requirements. A significant challenge is to overcome the existing boundaries to achieve a common understanding of the relevant issues. CIS will become reality through research in concepts, methodologies, techniques, and tools for the efficient - and transparent - integration of computing resources that are accessible over large computer/communications networks which may become indistinguishable from the CISs themselves. More important is the technology transfer and communication required between the significant, practical situations, which exemplify the requirements, and the research community that tries to address them. But most important is an increased common understanding across the existing boundaries as to the nature of the problems, the requirements, and adequate approaches to address them. THE CONFERENCE -------------- The CoopIS-94 conference will provide a forum for the presentation and dissemination of this research covering all aspects of CIS conception, requirements, functionality, implementation, deployment, and evolution. The CoopIS-94 conference programme will include technical sessions, invited presentations, panels, and tutorials that deal with CISs and the integration of relevant technologies. In addition, CoopIS-94 plans to host special sessions on the industrial applicability of CIS technology. Further information about the conference and its programme can be obtained from the General and Program Co-Chairs and by anonymous FTP from ftp.cs.toronto.edu (128.100.1.105) under directory pub/coopis or by sending e-mail to coopis@cs.toronto.edu. TOPICS OF INTEREST (not limited to:) ------------------ CIS Systems Issues: o CIS Principles - cooperation, intelligence, autonomy o CIS Architectures and communication protocols - novel open architectures, blackboard systems, multiagent planning frameworks, speech acts, advanced information services in support of interoperability o Core Technology for CIS - open distributed computing architectures, type systems, object models and advanced transaction models for interoperability, advanced query models and languages, active databases o CIS Implementation Techniques - novel programming languages for CISs, interoperability issues in distributed heterogeneous information bases, multi-database transaction scheduling and execution, rule bases o Integration Challenges - interoperability, multiple paradigms, forms of transparency, object and transaction model integration, global information (e.g., schemas, directories, repositories), semantic interoperability, negotiation, optimization (e.g., queries, indexing, ...) CIS Modelling, Migration, and Evolution: o CIS Applications - current and future o Information Modeling and Reasoning techniques for CISs - multiple perspective representations, non-deductive forms of inference (inductive, analogical, case-based, ...), multiagent planning and problem solving o Advanced CIS Programming - workflows, transactions, information requests, policy/rule-driven systems, mega-programming, multiple programming paradigms o Information Engineering for CIS - information acquisition, classification and retrieval techniques and tools, information sharing and management o Re-Engineering - concepts, tools, and methodologies; re-engineer legacy and new information systems into CISs o CIS Evolution - concepts, tools, and techniques for CIS design, development, and maintenance o Information Agents - novel models and organizations, application of information agent technology in virtual laboratories, concurrent engineering and other groupware frameworks. INFORMATION FOR AUTHORS ----------------------- Authors must clearly relate the contribution of their work to the concept of CIS, rather than just describing aspects of a component technology (e.g., state assumptions or definitions as to the nature of CISs). Papers which illustrate their results in terms of an CIS application or address technology integration issues leading to CISs are particularly welcome. Submission must be identified as one of three different categories: visions, research, and experience. Vision papers should present stimulating challenges, ideas, or visions that lead to exciting and valuable CIS research directions. Vision papers will be evaluated with respect to innovation, realizable applications and technologies, and technical challenges posed (e.g., that do not currently admit of solutions). Research papers should advance the state of the art of CIS and will be evaluated using conventional scientific criteria. Experience papers should describe the practical applications of CIS concepts or methods. They will be evaluated in terms of lessons learned, research issues raised, and solutions to realistic challenges, such as those of legacy information systems. Five copies of original and compelling unpublished papers up to 5000 words that are not under consideration for publication elsewhere during the reviewing period should be sent to the appropriate Programme Committee Co-Chair. Restricted electronic submission may be acceptable. For instructions contact the appropriate PC Co-Chair. Submissions must include contact information (contact name, postal and e-mail address, and phone number), a 100-word abstract, exact word count, and explicitly indicate the paper category (vision, research, or experience). The edited proceedings of CoopIS-94 will appear as a book from a major international publisher. Selected articles will be considered for publication in the International Journal of Intelligent and Cooperative Information Systems. IMPORTANT DATES --------------- December 1, 1993 paper, panel, and tutorial submissions due February 1, 1994 notification of acceptance March 1, 1994 camera-ready version due GENERAL CHAIR ------------- John Mylopoulos Dept. Computer Science University of Toronto 6 King's College Road, Toronto M5S 1A4, Canada jm@cs.toronto.edu PROGRAM CO-CHAIRS ----------------- America (North & South) Europe & Middle East Far East, Africa, Australia Michael L. Brodie Matthias Jarke Mike P. Papazoglou Distributed Object Informatik V School of Computing Department Information Systems GTE Laboratories Incorporated RWTH Aachen Queensland Univ. Technology 40 Sylvan Road Ahornstr. 55 GPO Box 2434 Waltham, MA 02254, USA 52074 Aachen, Germany Brisbane QLD 4001, Australia brodie@gte.com jarke@informatik.rwth-aachen.de mikep@fitmail.fit.qut.edu.au PROGRAM COMMITTEE ----------------- Philip A. Bernstein (USA) Robert Meersman (Holland) Patrick Bobbie (USA) Wolfgang Nejdl (Germany) Alexander Borgida (USA) Anne Ngu (Australia) Manfred Broy (Germany) Maurizio Panti (Italy) Tung Bui (Hong-Kong) Charles Petrie (USA) Umeshwar Dayal (USA) Andreas Reuter (Germany) Misbah Deen (UK) Daniel R. Ries (USA) Lois M.L. Delcambre (USA) Bob Rockwell (Germany) Eric Dubois (Belgium) Marek E. Rusinkiewicz (USA) Ahmed K. Elmagarmid (USA) Josef Schaefer (Germany) Opher Etzion (Israel) Hans Schek (Switzerland) Less Gasser (USA) Gunter Schlagter (Germany) Igor Hawryszkiewycz (Australia) Timos Sellis (Greece) Karen Huff (USA) Amit P. Sheth (USA) Michael N. Huhns (USA) Abraham Silberschatz (USA) Yahiko Kambayashi (Japan) Evangelos Simoudis (USA) Dimitri Karagiannis (Austria) Stefano Spaccapietra William Kent (USA) (Switzerland) Steven C. Laufmann (USA) Ronald Stamper (Holland) Ron Lee (Holland) Michael Stonebraker (USA) Maurizio Lenzerini (Italy) Zahir Tari (Australia) Victor Lesser (USA) Patrick Valduriez (France) Fred Lochovsky (Hong-Kong) Carson Woo (Canada) Vincent Lum (Hong-Kong) Yelena Yesha (Baltimore) Frank A. Manola (USA) Norihiko Yoshida (Japan) Louis Marinos (Germany) John Zeleznikow (Australia) **********************************************************************