Objective The objective of KNOSOS was to develop an environment supporting a method for components reuse during software configuration. The user requirements for such an environment were captured through studies conducted by industries familiar with large applications development. A KNOSOS prototype was constructed by integration and adaptation of a relational DBMS, a knowledge representation and manipulation tool, a software configurer, an automated configuration management system, and a common user interface with graphics capabilities. This prototype was evaluated through field trials. KNOSOS was related to project 1094, PRACITIONER. The objective was to develop an environment supporting a method for components reuse during software configuration. The user requirements for such an environment were captured through studies conducted by industries familiar with large application development. A prototype was constructed by integration and adaptation of a relational database management system (DBMS), a knowledge representation and manipulation tool, a software configurer, an automated configuration management system, and a common user interface with graphics capabilities. The project provided a model for representation of software development components (from specifications to code modules), an associated methodoloy for reusing such components and configuring large software systems, and a prototype system. This prototype was based upon the so-called KNOSOS building blocks (already existing and fully proved software tools brought to the project by the different partners). The KNOSOS building blocks consisted of a relational database management system, a knowledge representation and manipulation tool based on LISP, a tool for configuration management, and a common user interface based on the object oriented approach and having graphics capabilities. As a side effect, an interface between LISP and the relational DBMS being used was also developed and exploited. Preliminary partial prototypes emphasising particular aspects of the interfaces between the building blocks were built and demonstrated during the development phase of the project. The final prototype was demonstrated on a number of case studies, ranging from software tools for several engineering domains to space applications.Two kinds of results emerged from the KNOSOS project: a model for representation of software development components (from specifications to code modules), an associated methodology for reusing such components and configuring large software systems, and a prototype system. This prototype was based upon the so-called KNOSOS building blocks (already existing and fully proved software tools brought to the project by the different partners). The KNOSOS building blocks consisted of a relational database management system, a knowledge representation and manipulation tool based on LISP, a tool for configuration management, and a common user interface based on the object-oriented approach and having graphics capabilities. As a side-effect, an interface between LISP and the relational DBMS being used was also developed and exploited. Preliminary partial prototypes emphasising particular aspects of the interfaces between the building blocks were built and demonstrated during the development phase of the project. The final KNOSOS prototype was demonstrated on a number of case studies developed by the main industrial partners in their domains of expertise, ranging from software tools for several engineering domains to space applications. Exploitation The impact of reuse techniques in increasing the productivity of the software development process does not need further demonstration, particularly with respect to the development and configuration of large software systems (thousands of modules), like the ones used in space applications. The technology and expertise developed by the companies participating in the consortium, particularly the end-user industrialists, will be fully exploited in their internal developments, resulting in an increase of productivity in the development of new systems from reusable components and in their eventual maintenance and upgrading. The LISP relational DBMS interface was fully exploited and is now integrated in the relational DBMS and is being commercialised by one of the partners. Fields of science natural sciencescomputer and information sciencessoftwaresoftware applicationssystem softwarenatural sciencescomputer and information sciencesknowledge engineeringnatural sciencescomputer and information sciencessoftwaresoftware developmentsocial scienceseconomics and businesseconomicsproduction economicsproductivitynatural sciencescomputer and information sciencesdatabasesrelational databases Programme(s) FP1-ESPRIT 1 - European programme (EEC) for research and development in information technologies (ESPRIT), 1984-1988 Topic(s) Data not available Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme Data not available Coordinator ENGINEERING SYSTEM INTERNATIONAL SA Address Rue saarinen 20, silic 270 94578 Rungis France See on map EU contribution € 0,00 Participants (5) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all ALCATEL TITN France EU contribution € 0,00 Address Route de perros-guirec 22304 Lannion See on map CNET France Télécom France EU contribution € 0,00 Address 2 route de tregastel 22300 Lannion See on map DORNIER SYSTEM GMBH Germany EU contribution € 0,00 Address An der bundesstraße 31 88039 Friedrichshafen See on map MATRA SA France EU contribution € 0,00 Address 31 rue des cosmonautes zone industrielle du palays 31077 Toulouse See on map Yard Software Systems Ltd United Kingdom EU contribution € 0,00 Address 5a market place SN15 3HD Chippenham See on map
