First line speakers in the Model Driven Development, MDA & code generation were present showing their current work and success case studies. If you are interested in these topics, this is for sure the place to stay tuned.

One of my strong impression shared with other participants is that, year by year, MDD approaches have more success cases & real numbers to share and persuade customers & colleagues about the feasibility of MDD approaches to software development.

Grady Booch one time said:

The entire history of software engineering is one of rising levels of abstraction (abstraction is the primary way we as humans deal with complexity).

Model Execution is clearly the next step for raising the abstraction level.

The technology for MDD is starting to be mature: Microsoft DSL Tools, Eclipse EMF/GMF proyects, XML, parsers an template engines are ready for creating production systems.

In this second edition of CG08 I was involved in the Program Committee. My two cents to CG08 came in form of:

• an experience report: MDD: Models, frameworks & code generation: some experiences building business software
• and two Goldfish bowls (thanks to the organizers for inviting me to participate):
  • Rating MDx: where are we and how far do we have to go? (Organized by Matthew Fowler /  NT/e)
  • Modelling Standards: what exists, what’s missing and what failed? (Organized by Bernhard Merkle / SICK A.G.)

Slides & audio recorded materials of CG08 will be posted soon here.