All formal work on ANSI IT standards is carried out in the context of a project. To get the formal part of our ANSI Smalltalk standard work under way, we need to ask INCITS to establish a project for us.

Our application is based on the template provided by INCITS.

Project Application

 1. Source of the Proposed Project
 
    1.1 Title
        Smalltalk programming language standard
 
    1.2 Date Submitted
        month day year
 
    1.3 Proposer(s)
 
 2. Process Description for the Proposed Project
 
    2.1 Project Type (Development or Revision)
        R.  This is a project to revise NCITS 319-1998, the ANSI Smalltalk
        standard.
 
    2.2 Type of Document
        The project will develop a standard for the Smalltalk programming
        language.
 
    2.3 Definitions of Concepts and Special Terms
        No new concepts or special terms are anticipated to be required by this project.
 
    2.4 Expected Relationship with Approved Reference Models, Frameworks, Architectures, etc.
        None.
 
    2.5 Recommended INCITS Development Technical Committee (Existing or New)
        We recommend a new committee for this project.
 
    2.6 Anticipated Frequency and Duration of Meetings
        We anticipate that the bulk of the work can be carried out utilizing
        Internet discussion groups and conference calls.  The committee will
        meet physically at regular Smalltalk conferences.
 
    2.7 Target Date for Initial Public Review (Milestone 4)
        April 2009

    2.8 Estimated Useful Life of Standard or Technical Report
        There is no known limit to the useful life of this standard.
 
3. Business Case for Developing the Proposed Standard or Technical Report

    3.1 Description
        The proposed project will continue the work started with the ANSI
        INCITS 319-1998 standard.

    3.2 Existing Practice and the Need for a Standard
        ANSI INCITS 319-1998 has been widely adopted in the various
        dialects of Smalltak, but programming practice and  the IT
        landscape have moved on.  The proposed project aims to keep
        the Smalltalk standard current.

    3.3 Implementation Impacts of the Proposed Standard

        3.3.1 Development Costs
              The Smalltalk standard will reduce costs for the users of
              Smalltalk dialects by making libraries and utilities more
              easily portable between dialects and thus reducing rework
              costs.

        3.3.2 Impact on Existing or Potential Markets
              The consistency between Smalltalk dialects brought about by
              the standard will help make Smalltalk an even more attractive
              option for application developers and so the Smalltalk market
              has a whole will be strengthened.

        3.3.3 Costs and Methods for Conformity Assessment
              The idea of automated unit tests has long been established
              in the Smalltalk community.  A suite of unit tests for
              conformance with INCITS 319-1998 already exists.  Extensions
              to the Smalltalk standard would be reflected in these unit
              tests.

        3.3.4 Return on Investment
              For all parties the return on the investment of time and
              resources in the Smalltalk standard will come from an
              enlarged market for Smalltalk products and services.

    3.4 Legal Considerations

        3.4.1 Patent Assertions
              Formal members of the project will be required to announce
              any patents they control which cover parts of the existing
              or proposed standard.

        3.4.2 Dissemination of the Standard or Technical Report
              ???

 4. Related Standards Activities

    4.1 Existing Standards
        INCITS 319-1998

    4.2 Related Standards Activity
        We are not aware of any other work on a Smalltalk standard

    4.3 Recommendations for Close Liaison
        none

 5. Units of Measurement used in the Standard
       n/a