One of the major advances in the DSM would be to implement it in a 'real' Object Oriented Language, for example in C++. This way the compiler implements the Object Oriented-ness and the programmer can concentrate on the class implementation. Implementing device servers in C++ would have the advantage of adopting a de facto standard as compared to the OIC programming method (which even if derived from the MIT Widgets model exists only at the ESRF and is poorly documented compared to C++).
Other improvements which are planned are in the device server api. An asynchronous dev_putget will be added to complement the existing synchronous call. The asynchronous call be compatible with main event loop in X11/Motif applications. A second improvement to the api is the addition of a reliable protocol based on UDP/IP. To date only UDP/IP and TCP/IP are supported. The former is connectionless but not reliable while the latter is connection oriented and reliable. The aim is to add a third protocol which is connectionless but reliable i.e. based on UDP/IP. These improvements are planned for the summer of 1993.