NADC-82183-50
subprograms that can be freely shared. The programming language used
greatly affects the generality of software modules. But the software
engineering environment also affects the ability to know about the
software components as well as the freedom to access them. SEE will
provide convenient support of software sharing.
Reproducibility
The Navy must be able to reproduce its software. This means that
the Navy must have control over the tools used to generate the
software. A contractor’s proprietary tools must not be part of the
software development process because they tend to lock the contractor
into the project for the entire life cycle. Also, the Navy must limit
users’ ability to make arbitrary changes to their data base informa-
tion. For example, if someone can modify the object code so that it
does not reflect the associated source code (a current capability of
the MTASS SYSGEN) then the Navy cannot always reproduce the object
code from the source.
Standardization
Standardization is essential to the above topics. It is also
necessary for automated Configuration Management. The SEE will
enforce both internal standards (file formats, file contents, file and
tool accesses, development data collection, etc.) and external stan-
dards (e.g., compliance with MIL-STD-1679).
Standardization carries much weight in the aims of Ada. Ada is
intended to be a standard language across all DoD with neither subsets
nor dialects. A standard language support system is also envisioned.
Proposed benefits of these standardizations include user transporta-
bility, software transportability and reduced re-invention. SEE stan-
dardizations have similar virtues to promote higher productivity and
better software.
One important feature of the SEE is the standard data base struc-
ture, automatically provided and maintained. A typical benefit is the
transition of software from software developer to the Software Support
Activity (SSA). Although usually a tedious, expensive process it
becomes trivial when both developer and SSA have the software in
standardized SEE data bases throughout the different life cycle
phases.
2. Present Navy Efforts
MTASS
The Machine Transportable AN/UYK-20, AN/AYK-14 Support Software
(MTASS) is a set of tools for military software development, hosted on
several large commercial computers and targeted for the military com-
puters mentioned in its name as well as the AN/UYK-44. The tools are
cooperative in that the outputs of some are the inputs of others.
They are standardized in that they work the same way on the various
hosts and they provide a basic set of tools for all programmers of the
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Anything would be worth a try 
