[alma-sw-ssr] Initial Software Analysis

[Steve Scott <scott@ovro.caltech.edu>]

Sorry I haven't had time to thoroughly digest this document. A few
comments:


General:
I think the emphasis on scripting has obscured the basic objects. For
example, I see no Observation Descriptor object, the most fundamental
and explicit of the objects described by the SSR. There should be three
basic methods to create and manipulate the basic observing objects:
scripts, GUIs, and direct programmatic access. A Schedule Block is a
"sequence" (in the sense of array) of Observation Descriptors, it is not
the script that can used to generate them. A template is an Observation
Descriptor (or sequence of them) with default values, and perhaps rules
on inter-relationship of the free parameters. Layer scripting on top of
the base objects, don't make scripting the base objects. The sequencer
should accept a sequence of Observation Descriptors, not a script. 


p.34 
Observer UI - There are many other capabilities that are needed in
observing mode besides those mentioned. Full display of the observing
mode and all parameters, in a heirachical mode that displays common
parameters first but allows for drilling down to the lowest level if
required.

Observing Mode Template - "readable by the ALMA staff". What is
"readable"? Maybe with a tool? The template could be XML, name/value
pairs, a binary structure, etc.