Evaluation and validation of Ada programming support environments: five years after

The author provides information on the Evaluation and Validation (E&V) Task sponsored by the Ada Joint Program Office. Included is a rationale for the program, a description of objectives, and a summary of active projects. With a recent proliferation of APSE (Ada Programming Support Environments) tools, compilers in particular, it is important to have the capability to select the proper tools for the intended application. To address this complex problem, the E&V Task uses several mechanisms, including the E&V Team composed for government representatives and distinguished reviewers from industry and several E&V-technology development contracts. These elements actively interact to ensure that all E&V products address the needs of the Ada E&V community. Particular attention is given to the Ada Compiler Evaluation Capability and the CAIS (Common APSE Interface Set) Validation Capability