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Computer Magazine 1992-01 PDF

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TOWARD A BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT Plus: 3D Processor • Prolog Compiler • Authentication • Parallel Processing • Supercomputing 91 A Symposium on High-Performance Chips HOT Chips IV Stanford University, Stanford, California August 9-11, 1992 CALL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS HOT CHIPS is back once again! Sponsored by the IEEE Computer Society Technical Committee on Microprocessors and Microcomputers, Hot Chips IV is a conference that consists of presentations on high-performance chip and chip-set products, and related topics. This conference is directed particularly at new and exciting products. The emphasis is on real products, not academic designs. Participants will not be required to prepare written papers. The proceedings will consist of copies of the slides to be presented. Contributions are solicited in the following areas: • RISC and CISC Processors • Bus Chips • Floating Point Processors • Cache Controllers and Memories • Embedded CPUs • Neural Chips • Graphics & Image Processing Chips • Systolic Array Chips • Digital Signal Processors • Compiler Issues with Hot Chips • Network Chip-Sets • Benchmarking/Performance Evaluation Proposals should consist of a title, an extended abstract (1-5 pages) describing the product or topic to be presented, and the name, title, address, phone number, fax number, and electronic mail address of the presenter. If this is a not-yet-announced product, and you would like the submission kept confiden¬ tial, please indicate it; we will do our best to maintain confidentiality. Submissions can be made by hard copy, fax, or electronic mail by Friday, March 6, 1992 to: Bob Miller Office: (510) 642-6037 University of California, Berkeley Fax: (510)642-5775 Computer Science Division Email: [email protected] 533 Evans Hall Berkeley, CA 94720 For further general information about the symposium, contact Glen Langdon at (408) 459-2212 or [email protected]. For further information about submissions, contact Bob Miller at (510) 642-6037 or [email protected]. General Chair Program Co-Chairs Glen Langdon David Patterson, UC Berkeley UC Santa Cruz John Mashey, MIPS Computer Systems IEEE NEW FOR NETWORK ANALYSTS AND SYSTEMS ENGINEERS UJ Washington, D.C. 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WCaamtcbhemrleoyo,r SPuarrrke,y RGiUve1r5s id3eY LW, aUy K Computers with NETWORK II.5 Call Paul Gorman at (619) CFaaxll 0N2i7g6e l6 7M0c 6N7a7m ara on 0276 671 671 moNstE PTCW’sO, RWKo rIkI.s5t aitsi oanvsa,i laabnlde for 4E5u7r-o9p6e8,1 ,c aFlla xN i(g6e1l9 )M 4c5N7-a1m18a4ra. , Inin 2ICn0A 0CC-4aI4n 0Pa drLoaad:u urcietsr ACovmenpuaen Wy est Mainframes. t6h7e0 U67K7,. oInn C02a7n6a d6a7,1 c6a7ll1 ,P Fetaexr 0H2o7l6t OCFaatxtlal w(P6ae1,t3 e)Or 7nH8t2ao-rl2ito 2o 0Kn2 I(R61 37)X 768 2-2474 on (613) 782-2474, Fax (613) 782-2202. m!r^CAa'5pjodV/tfcomdanademark a"d COMPUTER January 1992* Vol. 25, No. 1 ARTICLES g Biting the Silver Bullet: Toward a Brighter Future for System Development David Harel A “vanilla” approach to modeling, together with powerful notions of executability and code generation, may have a profound impact on the “essence” of developing complex systems. Published by 25 The 3DP: A Processor Architecture for Three- the IEEE Computer Dimensional Applications Society Yulun Wang, Amante Mangaser, Steven Butner, Partha Srinivasan, and Steve Jordan Many computation problems that involve objects in the physical world require numerous calculations on 3D vectors. This article describes a parallel-computing architecture that targets these problems. 39 Authentication for Distributed Systems Thomas Y. C. Woo and Simon S. Lam A distributed system is susceptible to a variety of security threats mounted by intruders. We describe a number of protocols to authenticate users, hosts, and processes. 54 High-Performance Logic Programming with the Aquarius Prolog Compiler Peter Van Roy and Alvin M. Despain This optimizing compiler outperforms other Prolog implementations and reduces the performance gap between systems based on logic programming and those based on imperative languages. Copyright and reprint permission: Copyright © 1992 by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Ipnecr.m Aitltle rdig hwtist hre scerrevdeidt .t Ao btshter acsotiunrgc eis. 71 Parallel-Processing Techniques for Automatic Test Lbeibyroanrdie tsh ea rleim pietrsm oift UteSd ctoop pyhroigtohct olapwy Pattern Generation fpthooers tbp-o1rit9vt7oa7mte a orutfsi cethl eeos f f tiphrsaattt r pcoaangrsre:y , (pa1 rc)o ovtdhideo esadet ThRe oebffeirct iHen. cKyl eonfk ea,l gRoornitahlmd sD .f oWr ialulitaomms,a atincd t eJsatm peast tHer. nA gyelonre ration has not kept pace with the per-copy fee indicated in the code increasing circuit size. Mapping the problem to parallel-processing machines may iasn cpea iCd etnhtreoru, g2h9 tCheo nCgorepsysr iSgthrte eCt,l eSaar¬¬ improve performance. lem, MA 01970; (2) pre-1978 articles SPECIAL REPORT 87 Supercomputing 91 Ware Myers High-performance computing as a window into the future. 97 Product Reviews Computer’s Silver Anniversary cover: Alexander Torres Windows programming environments 105 New Products 108 IC Announcements In the next issue 110 Microsystem Announcements Parallel processing for computer vision and image understanding 128 Call for Papers 130 Calendar 134 Book Reviews Career Opportunities, 112; Computer Society Information, 127; Advertiser/Product Index, 104; 136 Open Channel Reader Service Card, 104A COMPUTER LETTERS TO THE EDITOR We can’t please everyone To the Membership/Circulation sis on the computer science (rather Several of the products I developed Manager: than computer engineering) aspects of have been reviewed positively in vari¬ computing (which reflects my inter¬ ous Computer Society publications. It is with some regret that I write to ests), and because they place less em¬ Unfortunately the Computer Soci¬ inform you that I will not be renewing phasis on standardization activities as ety has become so focused on academ¬ my membership in the IEEE Comput¬ a primary goal. ic publication that for the year before er Society. Unfortunately, it appears I should add that I have been ac¬ I let my membership lapse, I did not that both the IEEE Computer Society tively involved over the last several see a single article I was interested in and ACM are continuing their trend years as an ACM representative on reading. While all of your authors of moving away from support of those two joint ACM/IEEE Computer Soci¬ have impressive research credentials, of us in colleges and universities who ety committees on educational activi¬ many of them have little experience are most interested in issues relating ties (the most recent being the Joint actually making programs work, and to current research and college-level Curriculum Task Force). However, I the articles reflect this. teaching. This seems to be an inevita¬ find the increased focus of both soci¬ I would suggest the following ble effect of the attempt to broaden eties over the last several years on ac¬ changes would make Computer much the membership in these organiza¬ creditation to be a distraction from more useful for practicing software tions. However, the result is that your more important educational issues. In engineers: publications have less and less interest particular, we should be more inter¬ to me. Your focus, as expressed in ested in fostering innovation than in (1) Condense the current articles many editorials and other communica¬ stressing the importance of bean into single-page summaries and tions, is instead on publishing articles counting as a means of assessing edu¬ leave the publication of full pa¬ which will be of direct and immediate cational quality. For example, I was pers for the transactions. value to practitioners working on soft¬ disturbed by the role that accredita¬ (2) Add summary lists of new avail¬ ware and hardware development. This tion requirements played in the delib¬ able software tools. seems to be a necessary by-product of erations of the Joint Curriculum Task (3) Provide in-depth evaluations of your attempt to retain the interest of Force, whereas the work of the Task various software tools. this broader membership. Force should have influenced accredi¬ (4) Solicit articles that actually dis¬ The result for me, however, is a tation requirements. cuss software creation, like: much less interesting set of journals. So as not to be completely negative, • How much does it currently In particular, IEEE Software used to I should note that I personally find cost to develop software? publish survey articles which were the research conferences sponsored • What difficulties are involved highly relevant to me and my stu¬ by the two organizations to be ex¬ in contracting software out? dents. They discussed recent research tremely valuable. It is the perceived • What are some good team in a way which made it accessible to a focus of the flagship periodicals and organization and manage¬ larger audience. Unfortunately, I see the organizations themselves that I ment techniques? much less of that today, and judging find troubling. • What are software testing ex¬ by recent editorials, there will be even I believe the ultimate solution is the pectations for commercial less of it in the future. creation of a separate society devoted products? Not “cyclomatic” Since ACM has adopted a similar to the needs of researchers and faculty complexity, etc. Please! strategy, I find myself belonging to in computing. The needs of practitio¬ (5) In the absence of this type of two organizations whose goals are be¬ ners and researchers are too disparate sweeping change in editorial fo¬ coming less relevant to mine. Under to be well-served by one society. cus, how about even a single these circumstances, I have decided monthly column devoted to that I will retain only one of these two Kim B. Bruce software development issues? memberships. I have chosen to retain Williams College (6) How about a software develop¬ my ACM membership rather than Williamstown, Massachusetts er’s forum? that of the IEEE Computer Society because they place a bit more empha- I recognize that there needs to be a To the Vice President for Member¬ respected forum for academic publica¬ ship Activities: tion, and Computer in its current form Computer welcomes your letters. is important. But the IEEE also really Send to Letters Editor, Computer, Thank you for inviting me to rejoin needs at least one publication for 10662 Los Vaqueros Circle, PO the Computer Society; I would very practicing software engineers. When Box 3014, Los Alamitos, CA 90720- much like to be a member. I run a you have one, please let me know; I’d 1264. consulting company that produces love to renew my membership. All submissions are subject to custom software for various customers editing for style, length, and clarity. nationwide and am one of the individ¬ Charles J. Simon uals who relies on his talents to create Abtek Computer Corporation working software products every year. Spokane, Washington COMPUTER I National University of Singapore Department of Electrical Engineering Appointments But, with your help, The Department of Electrical Engineering invites applications for teaching and we try raeresaesa:r ch appointments from candidates with a PhD degree in one of the following • Computer Communications Our readership surveys indicate • Optical Fibre Communications that members want and need practi¬ • Computer Architecture and Systems cal, immediately usable material in Besides appointments on normal 3-year contracts, visiting appointments for [ Computer Society magazines — but one to two years may be considered. vnomccaaiordilestnleu t,iin sanca,el gan cln lide tkeha sewense dade tphrs i orrelaeoyb rtsp vweetieo aoowr ru tcimhasdhtleie y x ltl eeoy mixfp stdci ,is alciwsuf sf ds.ihe iinDrofe efrnseineoc t oteumi.frn l¬ tedt h i¬e ¬ GrosSARse esanssnioeonacurri aacLlhte ee cS mPtcuroiroeleufnre(m tUsisesStno$/1Ltrs. 0e r0ca =tnu Sgr$ee1 ra. 6s7 fSaSSop$$$lpl558roo838wx,,,i616sm:865 a000te l---y 116) 02402,2,,38017000 That’s why, in addition to Computer, The commencing salary will depend on the candidate’s qualifications, experi¬ we publish six specialty magazines ence and the level of appointment offered. and five transactions. And, we’re hap¬ Leave and medical benefits will be provided. Depending on the type of contract py to report, Charles Simon is con¬ offered, other benefits may include: provident fund benefits or an end-of-contract tinuing his membership now that gratuity, asettling-in allowance of S$1,000 or S$2,000, subsidized housing at nom¬ we’ve told him about IEEE Software inal rentals ranging from S$100 to S$216 p.m., education allowance for up to three ainCnneagHder d sdohos woo?ftw n wPa prliaeetar a gemws eeeee n 1eldegt0soti4 nitAunhesg ee b kr aysnnt. eo cmeiwrdec svle iitonaifng t gphtr heyae coR tuaiScpr¬¬ ctSpahrinnoilgvcdaaerpl e aononrf e sdt.uh bSbejt aaUegfcnfgt i amvtgoeee rmas i atmblyel,ao rxaswin mmadnu arcmyeet ua ofinfon dSr ce $tor1htn6aes,k 0ute0rl t0aca notpisneopsrnu o alfrntetaneatsuti oimuonp n p wt eooor fra kcp mh,e isarludsxob,i mjnpeaaucslmt s eat oofgff ee t6h ca0ets%s sa i tspoo¬¬f propriate numbers for our mini reader their gross annual emoluments in a calendar year. survey below. Lee Kuan Yew Postdoctoral Fellowship Computer articles are KuAanp pYliecwa nPtos sftodro acptoproailn Ftmelelonwtss ahsip R, wesheiacrhc hw iSllc bieen atwista rmdaeyd atols coa anpdpidlya tfeosr wthieth L eexe¬ 161 Tanodo trheesoeraertcihc-aol rfioern tmede cdsheeliglper enwet sha ciinca hdth ewem illialc s btr eefec hwoer ylddes a carnos.dn A cr eutasrxer-eafnrrcetlhey sp twoiptietehnn tdtiha wle ia lcnl abdne wd pihrdooa vhteiad’dse doa buptnpadoineinerd ttmh tehe eFnietrl laPoshw D¬a 162 Just right Research Scientist. 163 Not practical enough to have immediate value Facilities The Electrical Engineering Department has currently an academic staff of 53 The type of articles I prefer are with 21 laboratories, all of which have excellent facilities for teaching and re¬ 164 Tutorials sOepatrocehl.e Icnt raodndiictsio ann, dth Cereen atrree ftowro I Ce xFtaeirlnuarlel yA fnuanlydseids raensde aRrcelhia cbeilnittyre. sF: aCcielnittirees fion¬r 165 Surveys clude a Riber 32P Molecular Beam Epitaxy System and 2 liquid phase expitaxy 166 Detailed reports systems for research into in—V compound devices. A wide range of computing resources are available, including numerous PCs, SUN Sparcstations, Microvaxes, The best article length is and HP 9000 Series 300s. The University Computer Centre operates an IBM3081 167 Short: Under seven KX2, and has acquired a high-speed campus-wide network directly linking the pages with up to 10 staff’s PCs (now provided to every staff member) to the various computing re¬ articles per issue sources, including 2 supercomputers based in the nearby Science Park. A number 168 Medium: Eight to 12 of large-scale research projects are in progress, including an optical LAN joint ef¬ pages with six to eight fort with Singapore Telecoms and a project to develop VLSI design tools jointly articles per issue with Chartered Semiconductors. 169 Long: Over 12 pages Application forms and further information on terms and conditions of service with only five articles may be obtained from: per issue The Director The Director Personnel Department North America Office If you have specific comments, National University of Singapore National University of Singapore please use the space under “Editorial 10 Kent Ridge Crescent 55 East 59th Street comments” on the RS card. Singapore 0511 New York, NY 10022 USA —Ed. Tel: (212) 751-0331 Enquiries may also be sent through BITNET to: PERLCH@NUS3090, or through Telefax: (65) 7783948. January 1992 International ParaM Processing Symposium Join us March 23-26, 1992 at Program Chair Monday, MARCH 23 The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Viktor K. Prasanna, USC Hills, California. Workshop on Heterogeneous Program Committee Processing Dharma Agrawal, North Carolina Chair: Richard F. Freund, Naval The 6th International Parallel State University Ocean Systems Center Processing Symposium will Lubomir Bic, UCI offer an exciting program Mary Eshaghian, NJIT Session I: Systems covering all aspects of parallel Kai Hwang, USC Session II: Software and distributed processing. Oscar Ibarra, University of Session III: Applications This year, the IEEE Computer CJoasliefporhn iJaa,’ JSaa’n, tUa nBivaerrbsaitrya of Keynote Address: Heterogeneous Society is sponsoring the Maryland Network Computing Environments: event in cooperation with the Lennart Johnsson, Thinking Trends and Issues ACM SIGARCH and the Machines Corporation & Harvard Computer Society’s Orange University Vaidy Sunderam, Department of County Chapter. H. T. Kung, CMU Mathematics and Computer Louis Lome, SDI/ISTO Science, Emory University Over 350 papers were SL.c Mie.n cPea tnaik, Indian Institute of Tutorial 1: Designing Parallel submitted and include work of Thomas Probert, Encore Computer Algorithms researchers from all around Corp. Joseph JaJa’, University of the world. The papers John Reif, Duke University Maryland selected will be presented in Sartaj Sahni, University of Florida 21 sessions. J. L. C. Sanz, IBM Almaden Tutorial 2: Using Compositional Research Center Programming to Write Portable, H. J. Siegel, Purdue University High Performance Parallel opInnr e ahsdeedntietti rotoungt,o erIniPaePlosSu, sa‘ 9 pw2r oowrciklel sshsoinpg , THDEeaiavxrriloas Silsod wn S atrotznlea,n dIBeMr, URneisveearrscithy of oPKCf.ra oTrMgle rKacanhemins Coss elholamgnyad ny, Canaldif ornia Institute and a parallel systems fair. Benjamin Wah, University of Illinois Organizing Committee Finances Bill Pitts, Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc. General Chair Publicity Larry Canter, Computer Systems Approach, Inc. Sally Jelinek, Electronic Design Associates Steering Committee Chair Local Arrangements George Westrom, Odetics, Inc. Susamma Barua, California State University, Fullerton March 23-26,1992 • The Beverly Hilton-l Sponsored by IEEE Computer Society In cooperation with acm SIGARCH Tuesday, MARCH 24 Wednesday, MARCH 25 Thursday, MARCH 26 Keynote Address: On the Role of Keynote Address: How to Improve Keynote Address: A Look at the Randomness in the Design of Parallel System Performance Evolution of Software for Numerical Interconnection Networks Linear Algebra David Kuck, University of Illinois at F. Thomson Leighton, Urbana-Champaign Jack Dongarra, University of Massachusetts Institute of Tennessee and Oak Ridge Technology Commercial Exhibits National Laboratory Parallel Systems Fair (Concurrent Morning) Commercial Exhibits Session 10: Algorithms-IV Commercial Exhibits Session 11: Applications-lll (Concurrent Morning) Session 12: Software-1 Session 16: Architecture-ll (Concurrent Morning) Session 17: Applications-V Session 1: Algorithms-I (Concurrent Afternoon) Session 18: Systems Session 2: Architectures-1 Session 13: Networks-1 Session 3: Mapping/ Session 14: Applications-IV (Concurrent Afternoon) Scheduling-I Session 15: Software-II Session 19: Networks-ll Session 20: Distributed Systems (Concurrent Afternoon) Panel: HPCC Initiative and the Session 21: Software-II Session 4: Algorithms-ll Role of Academia Session 5: Applications-I Tutorial 3: Introduction to Parallel Session 6: Mapping/ Wine & Cheese Reception Computing Scheduling-ll Mary Eshaghian, NJIT (Concurrent Evening) Tutorial 4: Paradigms and Tools Session 7: Algorithms-lll for Heterogeneous Network Session 8: Applications-ll Computing Session 9: Special Purpose Jack Dongarra, University of Architectures Tennessee & Vaidy Sunderam, Emory University Welcome Reception For more information, please write the IPPS ‘92 Registrar at the IEEE Computer Society, 1730 Massachusetts Ave., N.W., Washington, DC 20036-1903 or telephone 202-371-1013 or send fax to 202-728-0884. The Advance Program may be obtained by anonymous ftp from [email protected] (login as ftp and get pub/ipps92.adpgm). For information on commercial exhibits, send message to [email protected] or fax 714-979-7488. Biting the Silver Bullet Toward a Brighter Future for System Development David Harel, Weizmann Institute of Science I n an eloquent and thoughtful 1986 article, Frederick Brooks expresses his I feelings about the illusions and hopes software engineering offers.1 He argues ) that many proposed ideas are not “silver bullets” that will deliver us from the horrors of developing complex systems. Brooks’ article is reminiscent of Parnas’ series of minipapers2 that accompanied his widely publicized resignation from the Strategic Defense Initiative Organiza¬ tion (SDIO) Panel on Computing in 1985. Parnas claims that current proposals are vastly inadequate to build reliable software as complex as that required for the SDI project. We thus have two rather discouraging position papers, authored by two of the most influential figures in the software world. Neither is a critique of software engineering per se, although both make an effort to dissolve myths of magical power that people have cultivated concerning certain trends in the field. This article was triggered by those of Brooks and Parnas. It is not a rebuttal. Indeed, I agree with most of the specific points made in both papers. Instead, the goal of this article is to illuminate the brighter side of the coin, emphasizing A “vanilla” approach developments in the field that were too recent or immature to have influenced to modeling, together Brooks and Parnas when they wrote their manuscripts. The two main aspects of these developments have to do with a carefully wrought with powerful notions “vanilla” approach to system modeling and the emergence of powerful methods to execute and analyze the resulting models. It can be argued that the combined effect of executability and of these and other ideas is already showing positive signs and appears to have the code generation, may potential to provide a truly major improvement in our present abilities — pro¬ foundly affecting the essence of the problem. This might take more than the 10 have a profound years Brooks focuses on. It will surely be a long time before reliable software for impact on the the likes of the SDI project can be built. Such a system remains an order of magnitude too large and too critical to construct today, mainly because of its first¬ “essence” of developing time-must-work nature. But I also believe that we are on the royal (main) road and that the general impression you get from reading the Brooks and Parnas articles is complex systems. far too bleak. 8 0018-9162/92/0100-0 COMPUTER

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