[e-lang] E research topics

[Toby Murray]

Another idea might be to develop a translator from E to some formalism
that's good for reasoning about authority, such as SCOLL or perhaps an
appropriate process algebra.

This would have obvious connections to language design and translation,
as well as some mathematical / formal analysis leanings.

One might even be able to consider this in the context of proof carrying
code -- E modules carrying proofs about their security properties would
be an interesting thing indeed.

Another idea might be to investigate the connection between E and the
work on using type systems to enforce capability security ala
"lightweight static capabilities" (which I must confess I've never taken
the time to get my head around).

I can't also help thinking how great it would be to see someone take up
the CapDesk mantle and build a robust POLA desktop on top of E, using
available tools such as Plash or other permission-limiting application
environments in order to allow the integration of legacy applications.
This would likely also include looking at how existing application
launching and packaging frameworks can be leveraged (such as the
XML .desktop files used by GNOME for example)




On Thu, 2007-04-12 at 11:27 -0400, David Chizmadia (JHU) wrote:
> Stephan,
> 
>     Just a couple of thoughts...
> 
> 1.  E-Native
> 
> Goal:
>     Complete the E-Native work, which would result in an E runtime
> environment that isn't layered on top of another runtime environment
> (e.g., JR, Lisp, Squeak).
> 
> Unique Research Contributions:
>  a. Develop a VM (OCVM?) that embodies object capability semantics;
>  b. Implement the OCVM in a verifiable language (e.g., BitC);
>  c. Develop the Kernel-E AST to OCVM compiler
>  d. Develop a (verifiable?) native implementation of CapTP
> 
> Relationship to interests:
>   * Programming languages
>   * Compilers, interpreters & virtual machines
>   * Distributed systems (if CapTP implemented)
> 
> 
> 2. E-COUGAAR
> 
> Goal:
>     Re-implement COUGAAR (http://www.cougaar.org/) in E to show how
> object-capability security and promises can be used to simplify and
> secure distributed, concurrent agent planning systems.
> 
> Unique Research Contributions:
>  a. Intrinsically secure distributed agent system
>  b. Early (first?) large-scale E (object capability) application
>  c. Worked example of applying object capability patterns to the
>     design of a large distributed system
> 
> Relationship to interests:
>   * Distributed systems
>   * Networks & security
> 
> 
> 2. EBASS (E-Based Application Server System)
> 
> Goal:
>     Develop an E application server framework (like J2EE or the
> CORBA Component Model) that provides an infrastructure for deploying
> general-purpose E services, while orthogonally managing and
> enforcing organization security policies using object capability
> patterns.
> 
> Unique Research Contributions:
>  a. Intrinsically secure application server system
>  b. Early (first?) large-scale E (object capability) application
>  c. Worked example of applying object capability patterns to the
>     design of a large distributed system
> 
> Relationship to interests:
>   * Distributed systems
>   * Networks & security
> 
> -DMC
> David Chizmadia
> 
> Stephan van Staden wrote:
> > I'm planning to do a PhD over the following three years. I've read 
> > MarkM's PhD dissertation and am interested in research topics involving 
> > E. My primary interests are
> > 
> >     * Programming languages
> >     * Compilers, interpreters & virtual machines
> >     * Distributed systems
> >     * Networks & security
> >     * Operating systems
> >     * Mathematical stuff
> > 
> > Of course, my interests are not limited to these areas (e.g. my MSc 
> > dissertation involved data mining). If you have any future research 
> > requests or ideas involving E, please state them.
> > 
> > Thanks,
> > Stephan
> > _______________________________________________
> > e-lang mailing list
> > e-lang at mail.eros-os.org
> > http://www.eros-os.org/mailman/listinfo/e-lang
> > 
> > 
> > 
> 
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