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David Wheeler <[log in to unmask]>
Fri, 1 May 1998 16:30:18 -0400
text/plain (82 lines)
Here's some information on the requirements documents that
eventually resulted in Ada.


"Strawman" was the first version of the requirements;
it was distributed within the military departments and to a lesser extent
in the academic community and industry.  I don't know how to get a
copy of it.

Woodenman was produced next.  The best reference to this document
that I can find is as follows:
"Woodenman - Set of Criteria and Needed Characteristics for a Common
DoD High Order Programming Language," Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA),
Working Paper, August 13, 1975.  I've talked with IDA staff and they're
unable to find an archived copy of this document; given that
it's a working paper, that's understandable.

Tinman was then developed.  An official reference for this document is:
High Order Language Working Group, "Department of Defense Requirements
for High Order Computer Programming Languages - TINMAN", June 1976.
A reference which you can actually order is:
David A. Fisher, "A Common Programming Language for the
Department of Defense - Background and Technical Requirements",
Institute for Defense Analyses, Paper P-1191, AD-A028297, IDA Log Number
HQ 76-18215, June 1976.
Fisher's paper has not just the requirements but a great deal of
background material and rationale, so Fisher's paper is 158 pages long.

Ironman was issued in January 1977.
Its requirements were substantially the same as Tinman but with a
different format.  An official reference for this document is:
High Order Language Working Group, "Department of Defense Requirements
for High Order Computer Programming Languages - IRONMAN", January 14, 1977.
A reference which you can actually order is:
David A. Fisher, "A Common Programming Language for the
Department of Defense - Background, History and Technical Requirements",
Institute for Defense Analyses, Paper P-1263, IDA Log Number
HQ 77-19124, May 1977.

Revised Ironman was issued in July 1977.  An official reference for
this document is:  High Order Language Working Group, "Department of
Defense Requirements for High Order Computer Programming Languages -
Revised IRONMAN", July 1977.  Fisher did some work regarding numeric
computation, and an appendix to that report includes the basic
requirements of revised ironman.  So a reference which you can actually
order which has the requirements is:  David A. Fisher and Philip R.
Wetherall, "Rationale for Fixed-Point and Floating-Point Computational
Requirements for a Common Programming Language" Institute for Defense
Analyses, Paper P-1305, IDA Log Number HQ 77-19836, January 1978.


I don't have the authority to permit you to place IDA papers on the web.
However, I can tell you how to order IDA papers, which may help.
Defense contractors can order the final IDA papers from DTIC;
everyone can order the final IDA papers via NTIS:

  Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC)
  8725 John J. Kingman Rd, STE 0944
  Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6218
  USA
  (703) 767-8274

  National Technical Information Services (NTIS)
  5285 Port Royal Rd.
  Springfield, VA 22161
  USA
  (800) 553-6847 (for technical report orders; U.S. toll-free)


I imagine the Ada Joint Program Office (AJPO) & Ada Information
Clearinghouse have copies of these things somewhere; you'll need to ask
them.  David Fisher no longer works for IDA, but he's still around, and
he might have copies of these early documents.  I'm not sure who you
ask for permission to publish on the web; my guess is that you'd ask AJPO.



--

--- David A. Wheeler
    [log in to unmask]

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