Abstract
This presentation is that of an aging researcher looking back over the last forty years of his work.
There are two kinds of researchers: the prolific and the monomaniacal. I'm in the latter category, because I've always practiced the same kind of investigations, namely the specification and verified construction of computerized systems.
This work, both theoretical and practical, has taken shape over the years in three related formalisms: Z, B and Event-B (to which I am by no means the only contributor). I'll try to explain how the ideas contained in these formalisms and the corresponding tools have slowly emerged, sometimes erratically.
I will also attempt to clarify the multiple influences that have contributed to this evolution. In particular, I'll show how a number of industrial achievements have led to progress in this field. But I will also highlight the failures and sometimes rejections of both academic and industrial communities.
Finally, I will suggest some ideas and approaches for funding research such as this.
