From: sma@seg.npl.co.uk (Stephen Mark Austin)
Newsgroups: comp.specification.z
Subject: Survey: Formal Methods in Education
Date: 17 Aug 92 13:40:13 GMT
Reply-To: sma@seg.npl.co.uk
Organization: National Physical Laboratory, UK.
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL4


        Request For Participation: Formal Methods in Education Survey


It was suggested to me (by Julian.Rose@bris.ac.uk - thanks) that I  ought
to  give  a  little  more  background  for  the  formal methods survey news
articles.

The formal methods survey forms part of a package of work  for  an  overall
programme  of  work for the UK Department of Trade and Industry in Software
Quality. The programme has the following 5 themes,

  A. How can new conformance testing needs be met by broader
     application of established techniques?

  B. How can we demonstrate the practicable use of software testing
     standards?

  C. How may more widespread application and use of generic
     product and process standards be achieved?

  D. How can assurance of software quality be made more
     objective?

  E. What is the potential contribution of formal methods in
     software quality assurance?

I am interested in particular in theme E. We  have  done  some  preparatory
work  by  looking  at  the  available  literature for relevant papers about
benefits, barriers  and  limitations  to  formal  methods.   From  this  we
produced  an  outline  document  giving  all  of  the  documented benefits,
barriers and limitations that we could find (available from our info-server
-  details  of access in the industrial request for participation).  We now
need to establish if there any other benefits, barriers and limitations  to
formal  methods,  as  well  as discovering how deeply rooted the previously
published benefits, barriers and limitations are.  From this we will  write
a paper that details more comprehensively all of the benefits, barriers and
limitations to formal methods.

[ We are posting the requests for participation again, and will do so on  a
weekly  basis  for  2/3  more  weeks  to allow for those people that are on
holiday, or who have a quick expire time on their news, to respond.]

---

We are collecting information on what formal methods have been, are being or 
will be taught in colleges, polytechnics and universities. We would like you to 
participate in answering a questionnaire on these topics.

This questionnaire is aimed at people who have taught, are teaching or may teach
formal methods as part of a course at any level. The courses would include
computer science/studies, mathematics, information technology etc.

The questionnaire can be retrieved in electronic form from our information 
server in both plain ascii and LaTeX format. Send the following text to the 
e-mail address: info-server@seg.npl.co.uk (You should leave the subject field 
empty)

  request: formal-methods
  topic: academic
  topic: academic-tex
  request: end

This will return to you a copy of the questionnaire in plain ascii and LaTeX
formats. Once you have filled in the questionnaire could you please e-mail
this back to us using the following e-mail address: sma@seg.npl.co.uk

If you have any problems retrieving the questionnaire please send a message 
describing your problem to: sma@seg.npl.co.uk

If you would rather have a paper version of the questionnaire then send a note 
with your name and address to: sma@seg.npl.co.uk 
  OR
a written message with your name and address to

  Steve Austin
  DITC
  National Physical Laboratory
  Queens Road
  Teddington
  Middlesex
  TW11 0LW
  UK

  Telephone: +44 81 943 6470

PLEASE NOTE: All completed questionnaires must be back with us by 7th
September 1992.

     Thanks,
       Steve Austin.