I mentioned previously that I was organising a Code Generation stream for the Embedded Systems Conference in Birmingham on 2nd October. The first thing to note is that the early-bird booking period for the event closes today.

The programme, which will cover a range of topics on model-driven software development approaches, tooling and process issues is now final and looks like this:

9.30	WELCOME Mark Dalgarno (Software Acumen)
9.45	Tutorial: Code Generation – The fundamentals Matthew Fowler (NT/e)
10.45	Tutorial: MDA Allan Kennedy (Kennedy Carter)
11.45	BREAK
12.00	Tutorial: Introduction to the Eclipse Modelling Project Karsten Thoms (Itemis AG)
13.00	LUNCH
13.45	Tutorial: Model it your way – Efficient modelling using Domain Specific Languages Karsten Thoms (Itemis AG)
14.45	Case Study: Testing Code Generators Axel Terfloth (itemis AG)
15.45	Panel: 10 Years from now nobody will write code by hand Moderator Andrew Watson (OMG)
16.45	Drinks Reception

I hope you agree that this is a good selection of speakers and topics that should be of interest to anyone who wants to learn how to get into code generation and what the alternative approaches are.

I’m also looking forward to some interesting discussion during the final panel session, hopefully there will be some sceptics on the panel and in the audience…

More information on booking options can be found here.

Juha-Pekka Tolvanen has sent me the following Call for Articles for a special issue of IEEE Software on DSLs and DSM:

---

Call for Articles: IEEE Software Special Issue on Domain-Specific Languages & Modeling
Submission Deadline: 1 Dec 2008

IEEE Software seeks submissions for a special issue on Domain-Specific Languages and Modeling (DSL&M). This issue will focus on benefits that the field’s practitioners and designers observed or quantified, especially scenarios that could not be implemented easily using general-purpose techniques. The issue will explore how mature domain-specific techniques address issues of efficiency, integration, maintainability, and reliability. In addition, articles can address specific challenges associated with DSL&M. Suggested areas of interest include:

• software development process with DSLs;
• state of the art descriptions of DSLs and tools;
• industrial experiences of applying DSLs in practice, including lifecycle issues;
• design of DSLs as language engineering (guidelines, patterns, and frameworks);
• interoperability with mainstream languages, IDEs, and other tools;
• metrics for productivity using DSL and DSM techniques;
• testing, system confidence, test case generation, validation and verification;
• generative techniques, code reuse, code generation;
• semantics for integrating heterogeneous systems, or heterogeneous tools;
• selection/design of DSLs and tools to best suit project requirements; and
• impact of DSLs on software architecture.

Submissions can address many different vertical domains, including:

• automotive, avionics, embedded and other cyber-physical systems software;
• mobile systems, including mobile phones and sensor networks;
• telecom, communications, and software-defined radio systems;
• medical systems, devices and health records systems;
• consumer electronics;
• enterprise systems;
• software and systems integration; and
• hardware/software systems design and co-design.

Outstanding papers will provide empirical evidence, such as usage statistics, metrics for productivity that can be compared to general-purpose languages, code-generation statistics, or other evidence that future practitioners may find useful in evaluating a DSL/DSM approach during project planning. Articles that
are overly complex, center on pure research results, or are theoretical in nature, are not appropriate for this issue.

Submitted papers should have a decidedly practical orientation, and be written in a style appropriate for practitioners. Papers should cover either:

1. a case study example that is a system or software body already in production, or
2. a large system or software body scheduled for delivery.

Authors of papers that do not satisfy either of the two criteria above should contact the Guest Editors prior to submission.

Manuscripts must not exceed 5,400 word including figures and tables, which count for 200 words each. Submissions in excess of these limits may be rejected without review. Articles deemed appropriate will be peer-reviewed and are subject to further editing for magazine style, clarity, organization and space. We reserve the right to edit the title of all submissions. Be sure to include the name of the area(s) of interest to which your manuscript most closely responds. To submit a manuscript, visit:
https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/cs-ieee.

Please visit http://www.ece.arizona.edu/~sprinkle/dsl/ for direct links to the submission site, author tips, and materials useful for formatting submissions. Note that the scheduled Issue Publication Date is Jul/Aug 2009.

You may contact the Guest Editors at dsl@istlab.dsst.aueb.gr

—–

On behalf of the Guest Editors,

Jonathan Sprinkle
Marjan Mernik
Juha-Pekka Tolvanen
Diomidis Spinellis