Protosystem I: An Automatic Programming System Prototype

Abstract

A model of the data processing system writing process is given in terms of development stages. These stages correspond to the progression in the implementation and design process from the highest level of abstraction (English system specifications) to the lowe level (machine code). The issues and goals (including optimization of the product data processing systems) involved in automating these stages are discussed and strategies and methodologies used for doing so are developed. Protosystem I, an automatic programming system prototype, is described. The completed (and working) part automates three of the five stages identified in the proposed model of the system writing process. The basic theory, methods and structure of this part of the automatic programming systems are presented.