Standards Update, IEEE 1003.3: Test Methods

[jsh at usenix.org]

From: <jsh at usenix.org>


            An Update on UNIX* and C Standards Activities

                             January 1990

                 USENIX Standards Watchdog Committee

                   Jeffrey S. Haemer, Report Editor

IEEE 1003.3: Test Methods Update

Doris Lebovits <lebovits at attunix.att.com> reports on the January 8-12,
1990 meeting in New Orleans, LA:

Dot three's job is to do test methods for all of the other 1003
standards.  This was the working group's fifteenth meeting.  We
reviewed the ballot status of P1003.1 test methods, worked on P1003.2
test methods, and created a steering committee.

Review of ballot status and Dot two verification

The P1003.3 standard will consist of several parts: Part I is generic
test methods, and part II is test methods for measuring P1003.1
conformance, including test assertions.  Part III of P1003.3 will
contain test methods and assertions for measuring P1003.2 conformance.
As other P1003 standards evolve, they will be covered as separate
parts in the P1003.3 standard.

Each day was divided into two sessions: mornings, we did technical
review of parts I and II, afternoons were spent writing assertions for
part III.  AT&T, NIST, OSF, Mindcraft, IBM, DEC, HP, Data General,
Cray Research, Unisys, Perennial and Unisoft Ltd.  were represented.
[Editor's complaint: I see no user representation at all.]

It took twelve meetings of the previous P1003.3 working group to
prepare the draft that is now balloting.  The technical review for the
Draft 10 ballot was completed.  Draft 11 was re-circulated late
February 1990 and closed March 23, 1990.  The balloting group is
approximately ninety members.  X/OPEN submitted a list of assertions
for P1003.1a.  This list was included as an appendix to Draft 11.
Balloters were expected to review this appendix as part of their
ballot.  We anticipate an approved P1003.3 standard in the third
quarter of 1990.

This is the third meeting for developing a verification standard
against the P1003.2 standard.  The P1003.2 assertion writing and
review were done in small groups.  Some of the assertions were based
upon P1003.2 Draft 9.

__________

  * UNIX is a registered trademark of AT&T in the U.S. and other
    countries.

January 1990 Standards Update                IEEE 1003.3: Test Methods


                                - 2 -

A steering committee and some new officers

The chair, Roger Martin, instigated the creation of a test-methods
steering committee to help alleviate the increasing dot-three work
load all the other, proliferating groups are creating.  The committee
will coordinate the activities of all test-methods groups, monitor the
groups' conformance to test methods, and write and approve Project
Authorization Requests (PARs).  Membership will be dynamic, limited to
four to six, and new members will be chosen based on long term
commitment, new ideas, and technical/managerial skills.  Roger
suggested an initial makeup  -- Roger Martin (NIST, Steering Committee
Chair), Anita Mundkur (HP), Andrew Twigger (Unisoft), Bruce Weiner
(Mindcraft), and Lowell Johnson (Unisys) --  and the working group
approved.  It's a non-controversial mix of established P1003.3
members.

The Standards Executive Committee (SEC) has approved both the
committee and its membership.  Their first assignment is to document
procedures.

In addition, new officers were chosen for the P1003.2 Test Methods
activities.  Ray Wilkes, of Unisys, is Chair, Jim Moe, of Cray
Research, is Co-chair, Lowell Johnson of Unisys is Secretary, and
Andrew Twigger of Unisoft Ltd is Technical Editor.

January 1990 Standards Update                IEEE 1003.3: Test Methods

Volume-Number: Volume 19, Number 57