Ada-Europe Workplan 2000
This document describes the work Ada-Europe plans to undertake
during the period January 1st 2000 until December 31st 2000. Additional
activities to those described here may be undertaken provided
that the new activities are in conformance with the objectives
described below and that they are approved by the Ada-Europe Board.
Subsequent to obtaining the money from the Edinburgh account in
1997, Ada-Europe still has a considerable cash balance and we
therefore intend to reduce the balance once more by judicious
subsidy of events such as the conference and by making a limited
number of grants.
Newsletter and Information Dissemination
Objectives:
To keep the European Ada community informed of events taking place,
new books and products, standardization activities and other topics
of general interest.
To make available to the European Ada community English translations
of articles of general interest.
To make available to the European Ada community information which
is too large to be published in a journal, for example outputs
from the standardization process, secondary standards, comparisons
of Ada with other high level languages.
Activities:
Distribute a quarterly Newsletter containing general news, information
and articles concerning Ada to all Ada-Europe members as part
of their membership either indirectly through the Associate members
or directly.
With effect from April 1998, Ada-Europe reached an agreement with
Ada UK whereby the established quarterly Ada User Journal is now
a joint publication and so is distributed to all members of Ada-Europe.
This will continue throughout 2000.
It is the intention to distribute a useful book of some kind from
time to time. The Ada 95 Style Guide was distributed in 1998.
It is not intended to distribute a book in 2000.
Conferences and Workshops
Objectives:
To hold an annual international conference and exhibition where
the latest developments which impact the use of Ada and Software
Engineering are presented and new products are shown.
Activities:
Ada-Europe is planning the Ada-Europe Conference 2000 in Potsdam,
Germany, commencing on June 26th.
The Ada-Europe Board, through a nominated Ada-Europe Board member
provides a point of contact for all conferences and hence experience
gained is retained and reused. The conferences and exhibitions
are open to the Ada community world wide.
As in recent years, it is anticipated that the conference will
be subsidized from reserves in order to ensure that the registration
fee remains reasonable. Moreover, all indirect members of Ada-Europe
whose names have been made known by their Associate member will
receive a discount.
Grants
Objectives:
To support workshops, conferences and similar events that promote
the use of Ada, directly or indirectly, through discussion and
dissemination of information.
Activities:
In recent years there have been no specific working groups wholly
organized by Ada-Europe. Current activity concerning standardization
is at an international level and is focused on the national bodies
that are members of ISO. However, if any such European group were
desired then Ada-Europe would be able to provide support.
Another means of providing support is by grants to other organizing
bodies. For example, Ada-Europe has recently provided grants to
workshops in Brest and York. Conditions that must be satisfied
are that the organization is European, that the event promotes
the use of Ada, that it is run on a not-for-profit basis, and
that a report of 4-6 pages is produced suitable for publication.
Applications for grants should be sent in the first instance to
the President.
International Liaison
Objectives:
To maintain contact with SIGAda and other Ada organizations world-wide,
for exchange of information.
Activities:
To establish cooperation with SIGAda, Ada-Europe has signed a
Memorandum of Understanding regarding cooperation at conferences.
As part of this cooperation, Ada-Europe invites two representatives
of SIGAda to the annual conference as guests of Ada-Europe and
similarly SIGAda invites two representatives of Ada-Europe to
the SIGAda conference.
Support of Associate Members
Objectives:
To support associate members in widening their national activities
into the European Ada community.
Activities:
If there are activities or services, offered by associate member
bodies to their members, which are of interest and benefit to
other members, then Ada-Europe will, if feasible, act as a channel
of communication to make those services available, to all other
members.
Organizational Matters
Objectives:
To maintain the smooth running of Ada-Europe, such that it meets
the objectives given here, in a cost effective manner.
Activities:
Ada-Europe will be managed by a Board of volunteers elected by
the Ada-Europe membership. The Board will delegate responsibilities
to its Members and will be supported by its Secretariat. Ada-Europe
will fund the operating costs of the Board and the Secretariat
according to the agreed budget.
The Board is concerned at the cost of holding Board meetings which
results from the high cost of international travel which is inevitable
given its constitution. Much of the work of the board is carried
out through electronic mail. Whenever possible the Board meets
at events such as its own conferences and those of SIGAda where
many Board members are likely to be present. In electing directors
to the Board, the members are urged to consider the likelihood
of those elected being able to attend meetings without incurring
additional costs on Ada-Europe.