MetaEdit and MetaEdit+

Both of these tools are fully-fledged metaCASE environments, in other words CASE tools where the user can modify the method supported, or add completely new methods. Both initially started as research prototypes, made by the MetaPHOR research group at the University of Jyväskylä Department of Computer Science and Information Systems, and both have been released as commercial products, available through MetaCase Consulting. There is also a short description of the implementation of MetaEdit+.

The main differences between the tools, and the main literature about each, are shown below. There is a substantial amount of publications about the tools, roughly divided into MetaEdit (1991-1994) and MetaEdit+ (1994-). The articles here in general represent the finished product well: there are other articles that were written around 1993-4 that point the way ahead, but whose ideas have been changed as the development progressed.

MetaEdit MetaEdit+
Single-user Multi-user
Single representation: Diagram Multi-representation: Diagram, Matrix, Table
Single method and many graphs per file, no linking between files Multiple methods and projects all interlinked, repository based
Single platform: Windows Multi-platform: Windows, Mac, Unix
Distributed metamodelling: separate programs for symbol definition and compiling metamodels Integrated metamodelling: everything within one program
Graphical metamodelling, producing textual output which is compiled to metamodel Form-based metamodelling, working directly on metamodel
Implemented Tools
Smolander, K., Lyytinen, K., Tahvanainen, V.-P., Marttiin, P., "MetaEdit --- A Flexible Graphical Environment for Methodology Modelling", Advanced Information Systems Engineering, Proceedings of the Third International Conference CAiSE'91, Trondheim, Norway, May1991, Andersen et al (Ed.), Springer-Verlag, Berlin, pp. 168--193, 1991 

Rossi, M., CAME tools for MetaEdit, Proceedings of MetaCASE-95, Sunderland University Press, January 5-7, 1995.

Kelly, S., Lyytinen, K., Rossi, M., MetaEdit+: A Fully Configurable Multi-User and Multi-Tool CASE and CAME Environment, in Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Advanced Information Systems Engineering, CAiSE'96, Heraklion, Crete, Greece, May 1996, Constantopoulos et al. (eds.), Springer-Verlag, Lecture Notes in Computer Science N:o 1080, Heidelberg, pp. 1-21, 1996. 

Kelly, S., A Matrix Editor for a MetaCASE Environment, in Information and Software Technology, vol. 36 no. 6, June 1994. 

Liu, H., A Visual Interface for Querying a CASE Repository, in Proceedings of the 11th IEEE Symposium on Visual Languages, V. Haarslev (ed.), Darmstadt, Germany, pp. 21-28, September 1995. 

Oinas-Kukkonen, H., Debate Browser- An Argumentation Tool for MetaEdit+ Environment, Proceedings of the Seventh European Workshop on the Next Generation of CASE Tools(NGCT '96), Crete, Greece, May 1996. 

Oinas-Kukkonen, H., Towards Greater Flexibility in Software Design Systems through Hypermedia Functionality, Information and Software Technology (forthcoming). 

Metametamodel
Smolander, K., "OPRR - A model for modeling systems development methods", Next Generation CASE Tools, Tahvanainen and Lyytinen(Ed.), IOS Press, Amsterdam, pp. 224-239, 1992 Kelly, S., Tahvanainen, V-P., Support for Incremental Method Engineering and MetaCASE, in Proceedings of the fifth workshop on the next generation of CASE tools, B. Theodoulidis (ed.), Memoranda Informatica 94-25, University of Twente, NL, pp. 140-148, 1994. 

Kelly, S., What's in a Relationship? On Distinguishing Property Holding and Object Binding, in Proceedings of ISCO3, E. Falkenberg et al. (eds.), Chapman & Hall, 1995. 

GOPRR Description: research and implementation viewpoint

Comparisons and reviews
Marttiin, P., Rossi, M., Tahvanainen, V.-P., Lyytinen, K., A comparative review of CASE shells - a preliminary framework and research outcomes, Information & Management, 25, pp. 11-31, 1993. Marttiin, P., Harmsen, F., Rossi, M., "A Functional Framework for evaluating CAME environments: The Case of Maestro II/Decamerone and MetaEdit+ assessment", IFIP WG8.1/8.2 Working Conference on Principles of Method Construction and Tool Support, Atlanta, USA, 26-28 August, 1996. 

Finalist in Best Application Development Tool, March 95 

Review in Byte Magazine, August 96

MetaPHOR Home Page
Pages created by Steven Kelly. Last update July 5, 1999 by Jouni Huotari.