A theory model core for module interconnection languages

The Theory–Model paradigm is a way of thinking about design methods. The theory of a method specifies categories of information and axioms about them. A particular design is an interpretation of the theory if it assigns meaning to all of the categories, and is a model if it satisfies all of the axioms. Module Interconnection Languages (MILs) describe and enforce the modular structure of systems. Originally developed in the 1970’s, research in the area has reemerged in several incarnations over the years. While there have been differences in each approach, there are many features common to all of the MILs. This paper attempts to provide a characterization of the core features using the Theory–Model paradigm. In doing so, we hope to evaluate the use of the Theory–Model approach for comparing more complex design notations. 1 A Theory Model Core for Module Interconnection Languages Thomas R. Dean David A. Lamb [email protected] [email protected] October 1994 Technical Report ISSN-0836-0235-94-370 Department of Computing and Information Science, Queen’s University Kingston, Canada K7L 3N6 Document prepared 10/7/94 Copyright © Thomas Roy Dean, David Alex Lamb