An Introduction to Compumetrics,
Abstract
The term compumetrics was coined by Richard Hamming to describe the emerging science of the performance of computing systems. The term implies the emphasis on quantitative methods - analytic, simulation and empirical. Although - or perhaps because - activity in the field has been increasing recently, there exists as yet no systematic introduction to the subject. It is to fill this need that the present report has been written. The problem of evaluating a computing system has some of the flavor of operations research, looking for optimal, or at least reasonably good combinations, of given components. Much of the work being done proceeds in this spirit, employing the traditional techniques of operations research: probabilistic modelling, queueing theory, mathematical programming of various types, and data analysis. At the same time it differs from the typical problem of operations research in that the authors deal with a system whose components are known even on the most detailed level.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 1973
- Accession Number
- AD0766470
Entities
People
- L. Herbert Ballou
- Ulf Grenander
Organizations
- Brown University