ISO/ IEC JTC1/SC22/WG21 N2902

Business Plan and Convener's Report
ISO/IEC JTC1/SC22/WG21(C++)


Document:       ISO/IEC JTC1/SC22/WG21 N2902 = PL22.16/09-0092

Period Covered: September 2008 - September 2009

Submitted By:   Convener, ISO/IEC JTC1/SC22/WG2l
                P.J. Plauger
                Dinkumware, Ltd.
                60 Thoreau Street, Ste. 367
                Concord MA 01742
                Email: pjp@dinkumware.com
                Tel: +1-978-371-2773


1. MANAGEMENT SUMMARY

1.1 JTC1/SC22/WG21 STATEMENT OF SCOPE

Development and maintenance of ISO/IEC Standards related to the
programming language C++.

1.2. PROJECT REPORT

1.2.1. COMPLETED PROJECTS

JTC 1.22.32- Programming Language C++ - This project was delivered by the
publishing of ISO/IEC 14882:1998 (first standard) and :2003 (minor revision).

JTC 1.22.18015 Information Technology - Programming Languages Technical
Report on C++ Performance (Technical Report Type 3)

JTC 1.22.19768 Information Technology - Programming Languages Technical
Report of Type 2 on C++ Library Extensions (based on ISO/IEC 14882)

1.2.2. PROJECTS UNDERWAY

JTC 1.22.32 - Work is in progress on the first major revision.

JTC 1.22.24733 Information Technology - Programming Languages Technical
Report of Type 2 on Extensions for the programming language C++ to support
decimal floating point arithmetic

JTC 1.22.29124 Programming Language C++ - International Standard on
Special Math Functions

1.2.3. CANCELLED PROJECTS

Two projects were cancelled at the September 2008 SC22 Plenary, at the
request of WG21:

- JTC 1.22.24737 Information Technology - Programming Languages Technical
  Report of Type 2 on C++ Library Extensions (based on ISO/IEC 14882)

- JTC 1.22.29117 Programming Language C++ - Modules

1.2.4. COOPERATION and COMPETITION

Where appropriate, WG21 has established liaisons with other SC22 and SC22
liaison organizations' working groups. There is no direct competition with
any other current SC22 working group. Related work is being done in
SC22/WG14 (C) with broad WG21 liaison.


2. PERIOD REVIEW

2.1. MARKET REQUIREMENTS

ISO C++ remains a widely-used foundation technology, well-received in
the marketplace. WG21 is developing a revision of ISO 14882. Once that
revision is complete, WG21 intends to continue work on a second Technical 
Report on C++ Library Extensions.

2.2. ACHIEVEMENTS

JTC 1.22.18015 Information Technology Programming Languages Technical
Report on C++ Performance (Technical Report Type 3) was published in 2005.

JTC 1.22.19768 Information Technology - Programming Languages Technical
Report of Type 2 on C++ Library Extensions (based on ISO/IEC 14882)
was published in 2006.

JTC 1.22.32 - A committee draft was ballotted in 2008-9.

2.3. RESOURCES

WG21 meets three times per year in co-located technical sessions with the
US committee J16. For most of the past decade, WG21 has timed its technical
sessions to catenate with WG14, allowing those technical experts that
would like to attend both technical sessions the opportunity to do so.
(The convener of WG21 wishes to thank the convener of WG14 for his
much-appreciated efforts at harmonious liaison. This catenation continues
periodically, although no longer for every meeting as WG21 and WG14 now
have a different meeting frequency.)

Fifteen countries participate by attending these meetings or by being
involved in the technical discussions that take place over the
reflector. The countries are: Austria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France,
Germany, Ireland, Japan, Netherlands, Republic of Korea, Russia, Sweden,
Switzerland, United Kingdom, and United States of America.  WG21 has been
monitoring the cross-language standards activities, and made use of the
ISO/IEC JTC1/SC22 guidelines on extended characters.

Liaisons:

  SC22/WG14 - C
    Steve Clamage (Sun, USA)
    Francis Glassborow (UK)
    Robert Klarer (IBM, Canada)
    Clark Nelson (Intel, USA)
    P.J. Plauger (Dinkumware, USA)
    Tana Plauger (Dinkumware, USA)
    Tom Plum (Plum Hall, USA)


3. FOCUS NEXT WORK PERIOD

3.1. DELIVERABLES

Technical work on a major revision of JTC 1.22.14882 is underway, and WG21
expects to issue a disposition of comments on its first CD, along with a
second CD, after its September 2009 meeting.

Technical work on JTC 1.22.24733 Information Technology - Programming
Languages Technical Report of Type 2 on Extensions for the programming
language C++ to support decimal floating point arithmetic (based on ISO/IEC
14882) is underway with liaison coordination with WG14's similar work item.
WG21 expects to issue a DTR after its September 2009 meeting.

Technical work on JTC 1.22.29124 Programming Language C++ - Special Math
Functions is complete. WG21 is awaiting the result of FCD balloting.

3.2. STRATEGIES

WG21 members have been meeting in subgroups and coordinating work between
meetings via e-mail reflectors and the wiki to develop responses to the
National Body comments on the first CD, which are extensive.

3.3. RISKS

Compiler developers have not implemented new language features as rapidly
as projected last year, so there is growing concern about maintaining both
the current feature list and schedule. This will be a topic of discussion
at the Frankfurt meeting in July. The risks are that either the current
feature list or the schedule will have to be compromised to produce an
acceptable revision of the C++ Standard.

3.4. OPPORTUNITIES

Nothing new to report.

3.5. WORK PROGRAM PRIORITIES

Once the revision of 14882 is complete, WG21 intends to continue
work on some or all of the following:

  - A technical report on C++ Library Extensions. This will be the
    second "library extensions TR."

  - A replacement project for the cancelled JTC 1.22.29117
    Programming Language C++ - Modules.


4. OTHER ITEMS

4.1. POSSIBLE ACTION REQUESTS AT FORTHCOMING PLENARY

None are anticipated.

4.2 PROJECT EDITORS

The following individuals have been appointed project editors and
backup Project editors:

JTC1.22.32, Programming Language C++:
  Pete Becker (Project Editor)
  Lawrence Crowl (Backup Project Editor)

JTC1.22.24733, Technical Report on Extensions to support decimal floating
point arithmetic
  Robert Klarer (Project Editor)
  Pete Becker (Backup Project Editor)

JTC1.22.29124 Programming Language C++ - Special Math Functions
  Walter Brown (Project Editor)
  Pete Becker (Backup Project Editor)


4.3 ELECTRONIC DOCUMENT DISTRIBUTION

WG21 has conducted much of its detailed technical discussion using the
email reflector provided by the UK Association for C and C++ Users (ACCU).
WG21 also has an FTP and Web site at www.open-std.org/jtc1/sc22/wg21
provided by courtesy of Keld Simonsen.

WG21 uses a secure wiki maintained by Dinkumware, Ltd. This secure wiki
is used for quick exchange of documents during and between meetings.
WG21 is now providing all the appropriate committee documents on the
Committee Web site, eliminating the need for paper mailings.


4.4 RECENT MEETINGS

No  Date             Location; Standards Body, Corporate Sponsor
--  ---------------  ---------------------------------------------------
18  Mar  9-14, 1997  Nashua, NH, USA; ANSI, Digital Equip. Corp.
19  Jul 13-18, 1997  Cambridge, UK; BSI, Programming Research
20  Nov  9-14, 1997  New Jersey, USA; ANSI, AT&T
21  Mar  8-13, 1998  Sophia Antipolis, FR; AFNOR, Ilog
22  Oct  6- 9, 1998  Santa Cruz, CA, USA; ANSI, SGI, Plum Hall, Perennial
23  Apr 11-16, 1999  Dublin, Ireland; Irish Standards, O'Riordan
24  Oct 20-26, 1999  Kona, Hawaii, USA; ANSI, Plum Hall
25  Apr 17-21, 2000  Tokyo, Japan; ITSCJ, NEC
26  Oct 23-27, 2000  Toronto, ON, Canada; Standards Canada,
                                          IBM, PeerDirect, Xerox
27  Apr 30-
        May 4, 2001  Copenhagen, Denmark; Danish Standards
28  Oct 21-26, 2001  Redmond, WA, USA; ANSI, Microsoft
29  Apr 21-26, 2002  Curacao, Netherlands Antilles; Netherlands
30  Oct 22-27, 2002  Santa Cruz, CA USA; ANSI, Dinkumware
31  Apr 06-11, 2003  Oxford, UK; BSI
32  Oct 26-31, 2003  Kona, HI, USA; ANSI, Plum Hall
33  Mar 21-26, 2004  Sydney, Australia: Standards Australia, Whitesmiths
34  Oct 17-22, 2004  Redmond, WA, USA; ANSI, Microsoft
35  Apr 10-15, 2005  Lillehammer, Norway; Norwegian Standards
36  Oct  2- 8, 2005  Mt. Tremblant, PQ, Canada; Standards Canada,
                                                Maurya, Sun, Intel
37  Apr  2- 7, 2006  Berlin, Germany; DIN, SAP
38  Oct 15-20, 2006  Portland, OR, USA; ANSI, Intel
39  Apr 15-20, 2007  Oxford, UK: BSI, ACCU, Google
40  Jul 15-20, 2007  Toronto, Canada: CSA, IBM
41  Sep 30-
        Oct 6, 2007  HI, USA: ANSI, Plum Hall
42  Feb 24-29, 2008  Bellevue, WA, USA: ANSI, Microsoft
43  Jun  8-13, 2008  Sophia Antipolis, France: AFNOR, Texas A&M University
44  Sep 14-20, 2008  San Francisco, CA, USA: ANSI, Google
45  Mar   2-6, 2009  Summit, NJ, USA: Edison Design Group, Dinkumware, Sun,
                                      Plum Hall

4.5 FUTURE MEETINGS

46  Jul 13-18, 2009  Frankfurt, Germany: Interactive Data Managed Solutions
47  Oct 19-24, 2009  Santa Cruz, CA, USA: Dinkumware
48  Mar  8-13, 2010  Pittsburgh, PA, USA: CERT
49  Jul 12-17, 2010  Rapperswil, Switzerland: HSR Hochschule für Technik
50  Nov  8-13, 2010  Batavia, IL, USA: Fermilab