the persistent store as an enabling technology for integrated project support environments
The software engineering community has recognised the need for integrated project support environments (IPSEs) for some time. The technique of integration as a method of cost saving applies to all levels in the hierarchy of problem solving, both hardware and software. This paper discusses one such level, that in which the IPSE is implemented and in particular the use of a persistent store as an enabling technology for IPSEs. The facilities of the language PS-ALGOL necessary to support an IPSE are illustrated by example and it is demonstrated how an IPSE's base may be provided by a persistent store that supports first class procedures as data objects. The need for a type secure object system which allows static and dynamic binding is demonstrated and finally the secure transactional base of PS-ALGOL is shown to be a necessary and sufficient condition to provide secure version control and concurrent access to both programs and data.
persistence technologies integrability project support environments software engineering software communities timing method cost hierarchies hardware paper use language examples class procedure data object secure systems dynamic binding transaction version control concurrency access program