* Re: Original source for MIL-STD-SDD requested
[not found] ` <780608664snx@dpscon.uucp.netcom.com>
@ 1994-09-30 10:54 ` Tucker Taft
1994-09-30 12:56 ` Mitch Bassman
1 sibling, 0 replies; 6+ messages in thread
From: Tucker Taft @ 1994-09-30 10:54 UTC (permalink / raw)
In article <780608664snx@dpscon.uucp.netcom.com>,
Billy O'Connor <billyoc@dpscon.uucp.netcom.com> wrote:
> ...
>I know this is rather vague, but does anyone know the content of the Perry
>memo, and how it affects Mil-Stds in general, and the Ada Mandate in
>particular?
The Perry memo recommends adopting commercial standards rather than
Mil-Stds, where feasible. However, Ada is already a commercial standard,
and as clarified explicitly in a follow-up memo from E. Paige,
the Ada Mandate is very much still in force. Paige also mentions
the connections with Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS), where the
policy is that you don't have to build it if you can buy it COTS
(with commercial maintenance!), but if you have to build it, Ada
is the language to use.
>Billy O'Connor email: billyoc@netcom.com
>Boston area OS/2 consultant CIS: 74021,530
-Tucker Taft stt@inmet.com
Intermetrics, Inc.
^ permalink raw reply [flat|nested] 6+ messages in thread* Re: Original source for MIL-STD-SDD requested
[not found] ` <780608664snx@dpscon.uucp.netcom.com>
1994-09-30 10:54 ` Tucker Taft
@ 1994-09-30 12:56 ` Mitch Bassman
1 sibling, 0 replies; 6+ messages in thread
From: Mitch Bassman @ 1994-09-30 12:56 UTC (permalink / raw)
Billy O'Connor (billyoc@dpscon.uucp.netcom.com) wrote:
: I know this is rather vague, but does anyone know the content of the Perry
: memo, and how it affects Mil-Stds in general, and the Ada Mandate in
: particular?
I don't have the Perry memo, but the following explains how it affects
the Ada mandate.
----------
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
Washington, DC 20301-1000
August 26, 1994
MEMORANDUM FOR SECRETARIES OF THE MILITARY DEPARTMENTS
CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF
UNDER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE (PERSONNEL AND
READINESS)
UNDER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE (POLICY)
COMPTROLLER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
GENERAL COUNSEL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
INSPECTOR GENERAL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONAL TEST AND EVALUATION
DIRECTORS OF THE DEFENSE AGENCIES
SUBJECT: Use of Ada
The purpose of this memorandum is to reiterate the Department
of Defense (DoD) commitment to the use of Ada.
It is DoD policy to use commercial off-the-shelf (COTS)
software whenever it meets our requirements. However, when COTS
software is not available to satisfy requirements and the DoD must
develop unique software to meet its needs, that software must be
written in the Ada programming language in accordance with DoD
Directive 3405.1 and DoD Instruction 5000.2.
Secretary Perry's June 29, 1994 memorandum, "Specification &
Standards -- A New Way of Doing Business," states that military
standards will only be used "as a last resort, with an appropriate
waiver." This direction has caused some confusion regarding the
Ada requirement since most references to Ada cite its MIL-STD
nomenclature, MIL-STD-1815A. Ada is also a Federal Information
Processing Standard (FIPS 119), an American National Standards
Institute (ANSI) standard (ANSI-1815A-1983), and an International
Standards Organization (ISO) standard (ISO 8652-1987). Any of
these alternative references may be utilized in place of the MIL-
STD reference in request for proposals, contracts, and other
similar documents. Thus, the Ada requirement does not conflict
with the Secretary's direction, and compliance with both policies
can be achieved simultaneously.
Use of other programming languages can be considered if
proposed by a contractor as part of his best practices since
waivers to the use of Ada can be granted, where cost-effective, in
accordance with procedures established in the policy referenced
above. However, such proposals require strong justification to
prove that the overall life-cycle cost will be less than the use of
Ada will provide.
Secretary Perry's memorandum encourages practices that satisfy
the Department's need to build high quality systems that meet
requirements at affordable costs an in a timely manner. This
includes practices which support the development of Defense
Software. Ada is not only a facilitator of software engineering
best practice, but also has inherent features which uniquely
support both real-time systems and safety-critical systems. Use of
Ada also facilitates software reuse and has demonstrated reduced
support costs. Accordingly, Ada is a foundation for sound software
engineering practice.
/signed/ /signed/
Noel Longuemare Emmett Paige, Jr.
Under Secretary of Defense Assistant Secretary of Defense
(Acquisition and Technology) (Command, Control,
(Acting) Communications, and
Intelligence)
cc:
DDR&E
---------
Mitch Bassman
mbassman@csc.com
^ permalink raw reply [flat|nested] 6+ messages in thread