AFL-1: A programming Language for Massively Concurrent Computers.

Abstract

Computational models are arising in which programs are constructed by specifying large networks of very simple computational devices. Although such models can potentially make us of a massive amount of concurrency, their usefulness as a programming model for the design of complex systems will ultimately be decided by the design of complex systems will ultimately be decided by the ease in which such networks can be programmed (constructed). This thesis outlines a language for specifying computational networks. The language (AFL-1) consists of a set of primitives, and a mechanism to group these elements into higher levels structures. An implementation of this language runs on the Thinking Machines Corporation, Connection Machine. Two significant examples were programmed in the language, an expert system (CIS), and a planning system (AFPLAN). These systems are explained and analyzed in terms of how they compare with similar systems written in conventional languages.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Nov 01, 1986
Accession Number
ADA186422

Entities

People

  • Guy Blelloch

Organizations

  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Cyber
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Algorithms
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Cognitive Science
  • Complex Systems
  • Computer Architecture
  • Computer Languages
  • Computer Programming
  • Computer Programs
  • Computer Science
  • Computers
  • Expert Systems
  • Heuristic Methods
  • Information Systems
  • Lisp Programming Language
  • Neural Networks
  • Programming Languages
  • Trees (Data Structures)

Fields of Study

  • Computer science

Readers

  • Database Systems and Applications
  • Parallel and Distributed Computing.