WG21/N1157 J16/98-0014 Business Plan and Convener's Report ISO/IEC JTC1/SC22/WG21 (C++) PERIOD COVERED: June 1997 - May 1998 SUBMITTED BY: Convener, SC22/WG21 Thomas Plum Plum Hall Inc 3 Waihona Box 44610 Kamuela HI 96743 email: standards@plumhall.com tel: +1-808-882-1255 fax: +1-808-882-1556 1. MANAGEMENT SUMMARY 1.1 JTC1/SC22/WG21 STATEMENT OF SCOPE Development of ISO/IEC Standards related to the programming language C++. 1.2 PROJECTS UNDERWAY JTC1.22.32 - Programming Language C++ The final text of FDIS 14882 was prepared by Project Editor Andrew Koenig in December 1997. Ballotting of the FDIS began on 1998-04-23 and terminates on 1998-06-23. 2.0 PERIOD REVIEW 2.1 MARKET REQUIREMENTS WG21 believes that well in excess of one million people are programming in C++, and that this marketplace is very eager for the ISO C++ Standard to be completed. 2.2 ACHIEVEMENTS The C++ CD was ballotted between May 28 and September 28, 1995 (CD 14882, SC22/N1824). Ballot responses included a large number of substantive comments. WG21 spent three meetings (November 1995, March 1996, and July 1996) resolving the comments, and prepared a new working draft for a second CD ballot shortly afer the November meeting. The second C++ CD was ballotted between Jan 24 and Jun 9 1997 (CD 14882, SC11/N2356). Ballot responses were successfully addressed at the July 13-18 1997 London meeting and the November 9-14 meeting in Morristown, New Jersey. Written communications were received by the Convener indicating that the delegations from the national bodies which had previously voted No were now satisfied with the eventual decisions from those meetings. 2.3 RESOURCES The Working Group had its first meeting 18-19 June 1991, and has now met 18 times -- three times per year -- in co-located technical sessions with US committee J16. Twelve countries have been represented at the meetings: Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, UK, and the USA. The Working Group has been monitoring cross-language standards activities. We are using the WG20 guidelines on extended characters. We have also tried to remain as close to the requirements of the LIA-1 standard as possible, but have not produced an explicit binding document. WG21 has several liaison appointments: Group Subject Liaison -------- --------------------------------------- ----------------- WG11 Language Independent Datatypes Keld Simonsen WG14 C Tom Plum WG15 POSIX Nobuo Saito WG20 Internationalization Keld Simonsen SC24/WG6 Multimedia presentation and interchange Karl Soop 3.0 FOCUS NEXT WORK PERIOD The complete list of former and current target dates is shown below. (Some target dates have been revised to agree with the SC22 Secretariat's records, to create a more consistent historical record.) Original New Event date date ------ ------------ --------------------------------------------------- 9/90 (completed) USA requested to submit C++ New Work Item Proposal 4/91 (completed) Approved C++ NP 6/91 (completed) First meeting of WG21 12/93 (completed) Circulate informal draft within SC22 7/94 (completed) Vote to register WD as CD; Mtg #10. 9/94 (completed) Complete editorial corrections; provide WD to SC22. 10/94 (completed) Begin CD registration ballot. 3/95 (completed) Complete CD registration ballot resolutions; Mtg #12. 5/95 (completed) Begin CD ballot. 3/96 (completed) Complete CD ballot resolution; Mtgs #14-17 5/96 (completed) Begin second CD ballot 12/96 11/97 Complete second CD ballot resolution; Mtg #19, 20 (completed) 5/97 12/97 Begin FDIS ballot (ballot began 4/98) 1/98 3/98 FDIS ballot results. Send IS to ITTF (with final report). (ballot closes 6/98) 3.1 DELIVERABLES As detailed in the schedule, we anticipate FDIS 14882 to be approved during third quarter 1998. 3.2 STRATEGIES The schedule required that WG21 complete the editing and review of DIS 14882 during the 5-day November 1997 meeting in Morristown, New Jersey. This was accomplished, and WG21 had previously accomplished the same process at the 5-day November 1996 meeting in Kona Hawaii. 3.2.1 RISKS None foreseen at this point. 3.2.2 OPPORTUNITIES The electronic distribution processes (email, ftp, and WWW) may allow more efficient post-approval activities (Defect Reports, etc). 3.3 WORK PROGRAM PRIORITIES Successful balloting of FDIS 14882 is our priority during 1998. Also, at its March 1998 meeting in Sophia Antipolis, France, WG21 initiated discussion of its Defect Report procedures. 4. OTHER ITEMS This section lists other items that are not part of the "Business Plan" but are appropriate for Convener's Report. 4.1 POSSIBLE ACTION REQUESTS AT FORTHCOMING PLENARY [none as of now] 4.2 APPOINTMENT OF NEW CONVENER At the SC22 Plenary in London, September 1996, Thomas Plum (USA) was appointed as convener of WG21. He follows Sam Harbison (USA) who had served as convener since the 1994 SC22 Plenary. 4.3 PROJECT EDITOR The following individuals have been appointed project editors and backup project editors, respectively: JTC1.22.32 - Programming Language C++ Andrew Koenig (Project Editor), Thomas Plum (backup) 4.4 ELECTRONIC DOCUMENT DISTRIBUTION WG21 has conducted much of its detailed technical discussion using email reflectors provided by courtesy of AT&T and Andrew Koenig (Project Editor of WG21). In addition to the e-mail reflectors, WG21 has had its own ftp and Web sites provided by courtesy of Warwick University and Steve Rumsby. These sites are in the process of being transferred to Keld Simonsen's facilities in Denmark, with further support from facilities provided by Brendan Kehoe (Cygnus Support) in the USA. 4.5 RECENT MEETINGS No. Date Location Standards Body & Corporate Sponsor --- --------------- ------------------ -------------------------------- 16 Jul 7-12, 1996 Stockholm, Sweden ITS Ellemtel 17 Nov 10-15, 1996 Hawaii, USA ANSI Plum Hall, Inc. 18 Mar 9-14, 1997 Nashua, NH, USA ANSI Digital Equip. Corp. 19 Jul 13-18, 1997 London, UK BSI Programming Research 20 Nov 9-14, 1997 New Jersey, USA ANSI AT&T 21 Mar 8-13, 1998 Sophia Antipolis, FR AFNOR Ilog 4.6 FUTURE MEETINGS No. Date Location Standards Body & Corporate Sponsor --- --------------- ------------------ -------------------------------- 22 Oct 7-9, 1998 San Jose, CA, USA ANSI, Silicon Graphics 23 Apr 11-16, 1999 Dublin Ireland Irish standards, Iona