[Modeling] Modeling an Agent Class- register your opinion

[Mellouli Sehl]

Hi,

Surlignage James Odell <email@jamesodell.com>:

> Hi Frits,
> 
> Welcome to the list.
> 
> On 6/12/03 4:25 PM, "f.tolman" indited:
> > In my field of research we are trying to use agent technology to build
> > virtual actors in the building and construction industry. For example a
> > Virtual Architect, Virtual Adviser, Virtual Cost Engineer, etc. Such
> virtual
> > actors can be consulted by humans and other virtual actors. When I think
> of
> > such a concept it does not seem to match to the simple UML class. At the
> > other hand it also does not seem to fit too well with the agent concept,
> as
> > in this discussion agents seem to be small (and beautiful?). A Most
> > important parts of a Virtual Architect can be described using models of
> UML
> > classes, relations, constraints, properties and methods. Some parts,
> maybe
> > on a meta level, can be desrcibed by agent concepts.
> 
> >So the question is of course: is there agreement over the question which
> > types of agents are in scope, and which not?
> 
> Currently, we do not discriminate against (of for) any particular kind of
> agent -- within reason.  In fact, we are trying to get our arms around the
> question: what are agents and what do they entail.  If we are going to
> develop a modeling language, we need to understand that kinds of agents
> that
> need to be modeled.  So, if you have a kind of agent that you need a
> modeling language to express and communicate about, this might be your
> group.  You task would be to determine what kind of graphical modeling
> notation would best express and communicate "virtual actors."  And, perhaps
> you can find others in the Modeling TC that might share you quest.
> 
> 
> >And next: an agent that performes its roles is an
> > occurrence, but does that mean that its behaviours and such can not
> > described by a type-like something (class, template,..)?
> 
> Currently, there is a small subgroup of people working on "role."  For us,
> role is esentially a class (or AgentClass).  When an agent is an instance
> of
> a role, it acquires the properties of that role -- similar to an object
> acquiring the structural and behavioral features of its class.  For
> example,
> when you say that particular Broker agent "performs its role", this implies
> that the agent is executing the Broker-based behavior.
> 
> Does this make sense?

I don't agree that an agent is an instance of a role since an agent can play 
many roles, and in that case it will be an instance of many roles and so that 
many classes, and this makes no sense I think. isn't it?. But we can see an 
agent as composed of roles; and so that an aggregation of roles. does this make 
sense? :)

cheeers, 

> 
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> Jim
> 
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-- 
Mellouli Sehl
Computer Science Engineer 
Information Systems Administration MBA
Computer Science Phd Student
Université Laval, Québec, P.Q, Canada
Tél: bur (418) 656-2131 (4704)
Home page: http://www.ift.ulaval.ca/~mellouli