RE: [gmt-dev] evolving GMT in a fully open process that allowsothers to

["Ghica van Emde Boas" <emdeboas@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I like this one! I think we should sort out the meta, meta-meta,
meta-meta-meta confusion. I have the impression that lots of talk about meta
models is really about models. Any model in UML that is not about UML, is a
model, not a meta model.

Actually, according to this definition, FUUT-je's tool model IS a meta
model. It is a model about itself, modeled in its own modeling language that
is not quite UML. Still, I think it is much more helpful for understanding
what this model is about, to think of it as a model of what the tool knows
about, modeled in something close enough to UML that anyone knowing UML can
understand it. Since '-je' means: 'Java environment', the model contains
exactly those things that are helpful to generate Java code and anything
related (DDL for example or XML), nothing more, nothing less.

I am not in favor to make the tool model very generic, because it would
loose its applicability to its domain: generating Java applications. What
would be possible, is to use FUUT-jes tool factory capability to create a
meta-modeling tool. Or to create a series of specific tools. For example,
for my PHP/MySQL work, the FUUT-je models I made of the application have
only limited applicability. Maybe it would be better to create a specific
PHP tool (using FUUT-je to create it). Such a tool could very efficiently
generate code from templates. Velocity can easily be used as the template
engine for such an application, or else the FUUT-je template engine is
generic enough for this purpose too (with slightly more effort).

Regards,
Ghica van Emde Boas
Bronstee.com Software & Services b.v.
e-mail: emdeboas@xxxxxxxxxxxx,
tel: +31 23 5474422,
or: +31 6 53368747 (mobile)
fax: +31 23 5473347


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jorn Bettin [mailto:jorn.bettin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
> Sent: Monday, March 22, 2004 8:33 PM
> To: Markus Völter; Jeff Hoare
> Cc: Thomas Stahl; Jürgen Rühle; Markus Voelter; Ghica van Emde Boas
> Subject: Re: [gmt-dev] evolving GMT in a fully open process that
> allowsothers to join the effort
>
>
> > So I think before looking at template languages and transformation
> > tools, the internal architecture (i.e. the metametamodel) should be
> > defined. openArchtiectureWare uses Java classes for this, and it
> > works really really well.
>
> Just one point on communication here: in order to avoid possible confusion
> in the discussion let's always include the context (the underlying model)
> when we talk about "meta model" and "meta meta model" etc. Also consider
> that  if there is an "is an instance of" relationship between
> elements in a
> concrete model (or meta model;-) then we have to be even more
> precise in our
> language. It will help if we give specific models concrete names.
> Ghica for
> example talks about her "tool model". Then we just need one diagram that
> shows which models reside on which levels and communication becomes easy.
>
> Jorn
>
>
> --
> This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content
> by MoveNext MailScanner, and is believed to be clean.
>
>