October 31, 2008 - Dial 'M' for Marketecture: Microsoft Elaborates Upon Oslo 'M' Modeling Language at PDC 2008.
Microsoft elaborated upon its Oslo modeling strategy during its annual Professional Developers Conference (PDC) held in Los Angeles this week. It appears that the core technologies associated with the Oslo modeling strategy include a text-based Domain Specific Language (DSL) code-named 'M', a design "surface" named Quadrant, and a repository for semantic models that it is currently unnamed. (Why not 'R'?) Given Microsoft's announcement last month that is joining the OMG, it is less than clear how text-based 'M' will help the OMG with its motley mix of semantically inconsistent and non-interoperable visual modeling languages, which include UML, OMG SysML, and BPMN. Will 'M" make the OMG's alphabet soup of modeling languages taste better or worse? For a NY Times article about Oslo modeling languages click here. To check out Microsoft's Oslo Developer Center directly click here.

October 15, 2008 – OMG Board of Directors Votes to Adopt UML 2.2 and OMG SysML 1.1 Revisions.
The Object Management Group (OMG) Board of Directors met in Orlando, Florida during the week of 22-26 September 2008 to approve nine new and and revised specifications. Among the revised specifications they voted to adopt were UML 2.2 and OMG SysML 1.1. You can download convenience documents for the UML 2.2 and OMG SysML 1.1 revisions using links found on the Specification pages of the UML Forum and SysML Forum, respectively. For the full OMG press release click here.

September 10, 2008 - UML Beats DSLs to Model-Driven Development Punch?: Microsoft Joins OMG.
Microsoft today outlined its approach for incorporating modeling into mainstream computing and announced that it is joining the Object Management Group (OMG),  the standards body responsible for defining the UML and BPMN modeling languages. "We're building modeling in as a core part of the platform," said Bob Muglia, senior vice president, Server and Tools Business at Microsoft. Does this mean that Microsoft is abandoning its Domain Specific Language (DSL) modeling strategy in favor of a General Purpose Language (GPL) modeling standard, or is this just Muddle Driven Marketecture hype? For the text of Microsoft's press release click here. For a video of Bob Muglia discussing Microsoft's approach to modeling click here.

June 3, 2008 - UML Renaissance or Apocalypse?: Bill Gates Reveals UML Strategy at TechEd 2008.
During his TechEd 2008 keynote presentation, Microsoft chairman Bill Gates revealed that the Oslo-wave release of Visual Studio Team Studio will support the Unified Modeling Language (UML). Gates said the keynote was his "last public speech as a full-time chairman of Microsoft," and he covered a wide range of topics related to future technology advances. Although the Microsoft founder acknowledged "that the modeling world is fairly disparate today," he stated that Microsoft will have additional support for UML in Visual Studio 10 for the specific modeling tools that are there." Will this mark a renaissance for UML modeling or is it just more Muddle Driven Marketecture by a software giant in decline? For the text of Gates' keynote click here.

May 19, 2008. – UPDM 1.0 Beta Fails to Pass Standards Gate; Major Tool Vendors Absent from New UPDM Group.
The UPDM Group today announced its formation and intent to develop an improved version of the Unified Profile for DoDAF and MODAF (UPDM), a modeling standard that supports both the US Department of Defense Architecture Framework (DoDAF) and the UK Ministry of Defence Architecture Framework (MODAF). The UPDM Group is independent of the Object Management Group, the standards organization which issued a UPDM RFP in 2005 and adopted UPDM 1.0 Beta in 2007, but whose UPDM Finalization Task Force failed to produce a final specification acceptable to OMG members and key government stakeholders by its March 2008 deadline.  Although the initial list of UPDM Group members includes defense contractors and vendors, several major UML modeling tool vendors (IBM, Telelogic, Sparx Systems) who contributed to UPDM 1.0 Beta are conspicuously absent. For the UPDM Group press release click here.

May 15, 2008. - Are Reports of UML's Demise Being Exaggerated?
In an article entitled "13 reasons for UML's descent into darkness" Daniel Pietraru claims that "UML [has] lost the programmers." The author suggests that UML is becoming irrelevant to programmers due to causes that include design-by-committee syndrome, vendor greed, and concept bloat. Is UML usage waning or waxing? Is the quest for Round-Trip Engineering suffering a major setback? For Pietraru's article on the "little tutorials" web site click here.

February 26, 2008 – Top Coder Introduces Free Open Source UML Design Tool to Developers.
TopCoder, Inc., a leader in online programming competition, skills assessment, and competitive software development, today introduced a free Unified Modeling Language (UML) design tool for the virtual and professional development communities. The Top Coder UML tool was designed, built, and tested by Top Coder's global community of developers and purports to offer a better solution for the core functionality developers typically need in a UML tool, and avoids unnecessary feature sets. The source code for the Top Coder UML tool is open for anyone to extend or enhance for their own purposes. To download TopCoder's free UML tool or to view its source code and documentation click here. For the full press release click here.

October 22, 2007 – OMG Board of Directors votes to adopt UML Profile for DoDAF and MODAF.
The OMG Board of Directors has voted to adopt the UML Profile for DoDAF and MODAF (UPDM). The UPDM specification defines a UML Profile for the Department of Defense Architecture Framework (DoDAF) and the Ministry of Defence Architecture Framework (MODAF)that can be used with the UML and SysML modeling languages. For the full press release click here.

June 4, 2007 – SysML Partners Honored as Leader on the SD Times 100 List.
The SysML Partners, the group of software vendors and industry leaders that created a version of UML for systems engineering called SysML, has been named a winner of the SD Times 100. The award citation notes that SysML “picked up steam in 2006.” The 5th annual SD Times 100, published in the June 1, 2007 issue of BZ Media’s SD Times, recognizes the leaders and innovators of the software development industry. The 2007 SD Times 100 was also posted to the www.sdtimes.com Web site on June 1. For the full press release click here.

May 22, 2007 – Report Claims Poor Development Tool Selection Costs Embedded Developers $500K+ Per Project.
Embedded Market Forecasters, a strategic consulting and embedded research firm, has released a report that claims poor development tool selection is costing embedded developers an average of $553,000 per project, exclusive of opportunity cost and corporate overhead. The new report finds that Model-Driven Development (MDD) is a key factor in reducing delays and improving accuracy, and the Unified Modeling Language (UML) contributes significantly to a reduction in design, development and implementation costs. For the full press release click here.

May 8, 2007 – BPMN Gains Traction Among Business Process Modeling Tools.
Embedded Market Forecasters, a strategic consulting and embedded research firm, has released a report that claims poor development tool selection is costing embedded developers an average of $553,000 per project, exclusive of opportunity cost and corporate overhead. The new report finds that Model-Driven Development (MDD) is a key factor in reducing delays and improving accuracy, and the Unified Modeling Language (UML) contributes significantly to a reduction in design, development and implementation costs. For the full press release click here.

January 31, 2007 – Call for Papers: Model-Based Systems Engineering with SysML, UML, and OWL.
The editors of the Journal of Software and Systems Modeling (SoSyM) today announced a special theme issue on Model-Driven Systems Engineering with SysML, UML, and OWL. For the full press release click here.

December 12, 2006 – Intalio Releases BPM Software Under Open Source License.
Intalio today announced that its BPMS Community Edition software will be released under the Mozilla Public License amended with the Generic Attribution Provision submitted to the Open Source Initiative (OSI) earlier this year. For the full press release click here.

December 8, 2006 – NoMagic Announces MagicDraw Support for SysML.
No Magic, a leading vendor of architecture modeling software, today announced the release of MagicDraw® UML 12.0, which supports a new SysML plug-in as a separate extension product. Also, MagicDraw 12.0 extends its support of model analysis by adding model validation and the dependency matrix capabilities. For the full press release click here.

November 17, 2006 – Requirements Visualization Tool Wins Award for Emerging Technology
Ravenflow, whose Requirements Authoring and Validation Environment (RAVEN) automatically generates visual models from plain English text, today announced that it was selected as the Collaboration category winner of the Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal’s Emerging Technology Awards (ETA). The annual ETA awards honor Silicon Valley’s spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship. For the full press release click here.

November 6, 2006 – Visualization tools for requirements definition
Computerworld comments on the growth of visual requirement definition tools from suite vendors (Compuware, Borland and Serena) as well as smaller vendors (iRise Inc., Ravenflow, Axure Software Solutions, and Sofea). For the full article click here.

October 11, 2006 – Telelogic Announces Integration between UML/SysML Tool and Simulink.
Telelogic, a leading global provider of software solutions for enterprise applications, today announced direct product integration between their UML/SysML modeling tool, Telelogic Rhapsody®, and The MathWorks' platform for multi-domain simulation, Simulink®. The integration of Rhapsody and Simulink will be delivered in two phases. The first phase integration is available today, and allows modelers to link SysML Blocks in a Rhapsody model to their counterparts in a Simulink model. The second phase integration, which will allow modelers to directly insert a SysML Block into a Simulink model, is scheduled for 2Q 2007. For the full press release click here.

October 9, 2006 – PivotPoint-Sparx Partnership Promotes Model-Based Systems Engineering with SysML.
PivotPoint Technology and Sparx Systems today announced a technology partnership that will combine their complementary strengths in SysML training and tools for systems engineers. PivotPoint announced that its “SysML Distilled™ with Enterprise Architect™” workshop is immediately available, and will use Sparx’s new MDG Technology for SysML™ product. For the full press release click here.

October 3, 2006 – SysML Tool Market Heats Up - Sparx enters Model-Based Systems Engineering market.
Sparx Systems, a leading developer of UML modeling tools, today announced the release of MDG Technology for Systems Modeling Language (SysML), the new standard for modeling systems engineering applications. Sparx's Model Driven Generator (MDG) Technology is a plug-in for Enterprise Architect, its award-winning UML modeling tool, that allows systems engineers to specify complex systems using SysML version 1.0. The entry of Sparx into the Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) market may significantly change its dynamics, since Sparx has established a reputation for producing low-cost modeling tools that offer functionality competitive with the market leaders. There are now at least five visual modeling tool vendor shipping products that support SysML. For further information about the SysML modeling tools currently available click here.

July 12, 2006 – Analyst Firm Report on OOA&D Tools Results in Belated Bragging Rights by Leaders; Telelogic and Sparx support for SysML is noted. During the last week, the three tool vendors positioned in the leaders quadrant of Gartner's Magic Quadrant report for Object Analysis & Design (OOA&D) tools published last May—IBM, Borland, and Telelogic—have issued press releases noting their high rankings. The report suggests a changing marketplace, since Telelogic is positioned in the leaders quadrant for the first time, and Sparx Systems is positioned in the niche players quadrant for the first time. These changes likely reflect market trends towards consolidation (e.g., Telelogic's acquisitions of Popkin and I-Logix) and commoditization (e.g., the rapid rise of Sparx with 85K+ licenses sold). Although the report assumes that UML will continue to be the most widely used "flavor" of OOA&D modeling language through the end of the decade, it also notes that Telelogic and Sparx support the new SysML standard for systems engineering. You can obtain the full report ("Magic Quadrant for OOA&D Tools, 2H06-1H07" authored by  Michael J. Blechar) here.

July 6, 2006 – OMG Announces Adoption of OMG SysML. The Object Management Group™ (OMG™) today announced the adoption of the OMG Systems Modeling Language (OMG SysML™). OMG SysML is a general-purpose graphical modeling language for specifying, analyzing, designing, and verifying complex systems that may include hardware, software, information, personnel, procedures, and facilities. The OMG SysML specification is derived from the SysML open source specification, which was first distributed by the SysML Partners, an informal association of tool vendors and industry leaders, in 2004. Both SysML and OMG SysML are defined as UML extensions, and include an open source license for distribution and use. The current adoption status of OMG SysML is that of a "Final Adopted Specification." An OMG Finalization Task Force plans to recommended a final version of OMG SysML in April 2007, which will need to voted upon again before it becomes a public "Available Specification." The OMG SysML specification is available for download here.

June 15, 2006 – Of Different Minds About Modeling. SD Times interviews five modeling experts to speculate on UML's future. The experts include Bran Selic from IBM, Jack Greenfield from Microsoft, Cris Kobryn from PivotPoint Technology, Jan Popkin from Telelogic, and Richard Soley from the OMG. SysML is also mentioned as an example of how UML can be used to define new standards. You can read the full article here.

May 30, 2006 – Analyst Firm Updates Its OOA&D Tool Report. Gartner today published an update of its Magic Quadrant report for Object Analysis & Design (OOA&D) tools. The updated report positions Telelogic in the leaders quadrant for the first time, joining IBM and Borland, and positions Sparx Systems in the niche players quadrant for the first time, recognizing its rapid growth. You can obtain the full report ("Magic Quadrant for OOA&D Tools, 2H06-1H07" authored by  Michael J. Blechar) here.

April 3, 2006 – SysML Merge Team submits SysML v. 1.0 draft proposal to OMG for technology adoption. The SysML Merge Team today submitted their Systems Modeling Language (SysML) v. 1.0 draft proposal to the OMG to consider for technology adoption. The OMG plans to vote on recommending this draft proposal, which uses the SysML project's open source license for distribution and use, during its next meeting in St. Louis during the week of April 24, 2006. You can view or download the SysML v. 1.0 draft specification from the Specifications page of the SysML Forum web.

March 15, 2006 – CMP Media announces winners of 16th Annual Jolt Product Excellence Awards for Design Tools and Modeling. The  editors of Dr. Dobb's Journal today announced the winners of the 16th Annual Software Development Jolt Product Excellence and Productivity Awards during the SD West 2006 Conference & Exposition at the Santa Clara Convention Center. These awards are presented annually to products and books that have "jolted" the industry by helping to create faster, easier and more efficient software. The Jolt Winner for the "Design Tools and Modeling" category was Lattix LDM  2.0 (Lattix). The Productivity Winners in the same category consisted of two UML modeling tools (Borland Together 2006 for Eclipse (Borland) and Enterprise Architect 6.0 (Sparx Systems)) and MindManager Pro 6.0 (Mindjet). Among these design and modeling tools, only Together 2006 and Enterprise Architect directly support standard UML visual modeling notation. Lattice LDM uses Dependency Structure Matrix (DSM; a.k.a. Design Structure Matrix) notation, and MindManager Pro uses Mindjet's own proprietrary visual notation.

February 9, 2006 – Semantic Technology Conference (SemTech 2006) announces keynote speakers. The Semantic Technology Conference (SemTech), the leading educational conference on Semantic Web technology in the U.S., today announced its lineup of keynote speakers for SemTech 2006 on March 6-9, 2006 at the Fairmont Hotel in San Jose, Calif. The featured keynote speakers include James Hendler (University of Maryland) and Ora Lassila (Nokia Research Center) who will discuss the "Current Status and Future Promise of the Semantic Web." The four-day conference sessions and keynotes will explore the commercialization and emerging applications of semantic technologies in both enterprise systems and the Internet. For more information or to register for this event, please visit www.semantic-technology.com.

Unified Modeling Language, UML, OMG SysML, and BPMN are trademarks of the Object Management Group. All other product and service names mentioned are the trademarks of their respective companies.