Publication History. - History and Overview. - Prelude The Alphard form and Verification Issues. - I Abstraction and Verification in Alphard: Introduction to Language and Methodology. - II Remarks on the Impact of Program Verification on Language Design. - First Interlude Inadequacy of Simple Encapsulation. - III Abstraction and Verification in Alphard: Iteration and Generators. - IV Achieving Quality Software: Reflections on the Aims and Objectives of Alphard. - Second Interlude Larger Examples. - V Abstraction and Verification in Alphard: Design and Verification of a Tree Handler. - VI Abstraction and Verification in Alphard: A Symbol Table Example. - Third Interlude Language Evolution. - VII An Informal Definition of Alphard. - Fourth Interlude Generality and Generic Definitions. - VIII An Alphard Specification of a Correct and Efficient Transformation on Data Structures. - Fifth Interlude Validating and Extending the Concepts. - IX Validating the Utility of Abstraction Techniques. - X Toward Relaxing Assumptions in Languages and Their Implementations. - Postlude Reflections and Open Problems. Language: English