HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: "Andreas Dangel (DA Milojicic" <dangel@sokrates.informatik.uni-kl.de>
Subject: looking for distributed applications...
Organization: University of Kaiserslautern, Germany
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1992 13:13:12 GMT

we investigate the behaviour of distributed unix or mach applications.
If you know some places (ftp-servers...) where we can get them or if you have
some (simple) distributed applications (number-crunching, simulations etc.),
please let us know.
We only need them for measurements and investigation of the behaviour in terms
of suitability for task migration.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Andreas Dangel , Universitaet Kaiserslautern, germany
Internet: dangel@informatik.uni-kl.de
Newsgroups: comp.parallel
From: jdb@inel.gov (John D Burtt)
Subject: workshop info needed 
Apparently-To: hypercube@hubcap.clemson.edu
Reply-To: jdb@inel.gov (John D Burtt)
Organization: Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Idaho Falls, Idaho
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 92 21:05:40 GMT

My company is getting geared up to move into distributed
cluster computing.  We just got a notification about a
cluster computing workshop at Florida State in early
December.

I would like to find out if there are other such workshops
or conferences on the subject planned during the next six months.
The powers that be here don't want to spring for a long
distance workshop if there is another closer to home
(Idaho falls, ID).

Thank you for the information!

John D. Burtt

========== long legal disclaimer follows, press n to skip ===========

Neither the United States Government or the Idaho National Engineering
Laboratory or any of their employees, makes any warranty, whatsoever,
implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility regarding any
information, disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe
privately owned rights.  No specific reference constitutes or implies
endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States
Government or the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory.  The views and
opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of the
United States Government or the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory,
and shall not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes.

Newsgroups: comp.parallel
From: kevin-kreeger@orl.mmc.com (Kevin Kreeger)
Subject: I need help with C* Paris calls on CM-2
Apparently-To: comp-parallel@uunet.uu.net
Keywords: Connection Machine C* Paris
Organization: Martin Marietta
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1992 18:20:16 GMT

I just started using a CM-2 to do some analysis of 2-d routing
when using a mesh topology as compared to a hypercube topology.
I figured the Paris calls to routing would be the fairest way to
assure the routing was going along the paths I choose. However
I have not been able to get the CM_send_to_news_1L() call to
work properly. The following is a test piece of code I wrote to
try to get it to work...


#include <stdio.h>
#include <cm/paris.h>

#define SIZE   4

shape [512][16]mesh;

char:mesh top_ptr;

main()
{
  [0][0]top_ptr=1;
  [1][1]top_ptr=2;
  [2][2]top_ptr=3;
  [3][3]top_ptr=4;

  print_pe_matrix(); 

  with(mesh)
    where ((pcoord(0) < SIZE) && (pcoord(1) < SIZE))
      myroute();

  print_pe_matrix();
}

print_pe_matrix()
{
  int r,c;

  for(r=0;r<SIZE;r++)
    {
    for(c=0;c<SIZE;c++)
        {
        printf("%2d ",[r][c]top_ptr);
        }
    printf("\n");
    }
  printf("\n");
}

myroute()
{
      CM_send_to_news_1L(&top_ptr,&top_ptr,0,0,sizeof(top_ptr));
}




The problem I seem to be having is with the fourth argument sent to the
subroutine. The manpages says it should be ":upward" or ":downward". But,
they seem to be written for the Lisp compiler. I assumed these were
#DEFINE's so I tried UPWARD, upward, and :upward and kept getting
compile errors. I then assumed that these were probably constants for
0 and 1. Well that let it compile, but I then started getting weird
results were the data was not routing. To me It should shift the 
whole array to the right (or left). But it was only shifting some 
pe's and then it would corrupt others.

Does anyone out there use this call and what do I need to do to
get it to work properly? I know that I could get the same results
with the c* line


	top_ptr = [.][.-1]top_ptr;


But then I'm not assured of the path. And also when I do the
hypercube, it is not scalable. Every time I would increase the
saize I would have to add more "left indexes" to every place
in the code. I'm fairly sure this is not how it is meant to be done.

Thanks for anything you can do to help me

Kevo.




Newsgroups: comp.parallel
From: harvard!bu-pub.bu.edu!hari@gatech.edu
Subject: Re: need help in C* (for Connection Machine)
Organization: Boston University
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 92 15:22:56 -0400

if your systeme has C* then there must be examples 
programs in the system too. Also know about Prism 
which is a debugger to use. Using prism and the examples
program you can give yourself an introduction

i do not not know if this helps but please let me know
your questions. I will try if i can

hari


Newsgroups: comp.parallel
From: gauthier@mistral.imag.fr (Laurent Gauthier)
Subject: Parallel Programming Tools
Apparently-To: comp-parallel@uunet.uu.net
Keywords: PVM PICL ParaGraph HeNCE 
Organization: IMAG Institute, University of Grenoble, France
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1992 12:36:56 GMT

Hello,

	I'm doing a little survey about Parallel Programming Tools 
	and I'm looking for some information.
	It would be kind of you to answer some of these questions,

	1)  To users of PVM HeNCE and PICL :
	    - If you have programmed some real applications with these 
	      tools, are you satisfied of them?
	    - According to you what are advantages & drawbacks of these tools?
	    - What types of problems have you met?
		
	2)  Do you know other tools of this kind (with a FORTRAN interface)?

	3)  Where is it possible to find docs about Pablo?

	4)  Has anyone out there already used Xab (PVM with possibilities for
	    tracing execution, and using ParaGraph)?
	    (if you know where to find it, please let me know... )

	
	I will *perhaps* summarize the answers, in a further post...

	Please contact me by e-mail.

-- lolo

------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Laurent Gauthier                   e-mail: gauthier@mistral.imag.fr
 e'le`ve ENSIMAG 2e`me Anne'e            
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Aldrin:    "Contact light.  Okay, engine stop.  ACA out of detent."
 Armstrong: "Got it."
 Aldrin:    "Mode controls, both auto.  Descent engine command override,
             off.  Engine arm off...."
 CAPCOM:    "We copy you down, Eagle."
 Armstrong: "Houston, Tranquility Base here.  The Eagle has landed."
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Newsgroups: comp.parallel
From: suttner@Informatik.TU-Muenchen.DE (Christian Suttner)
Subject: Looking for K.S. Natarajan
Originator: suttner@sunjessen13.informatik.tu-muenchen.de
Organization: Technische Universitaet Muenchen, Germany
Date: 	Fri, 4 Sep 1992 19:02:36 +0200


I'm looking for                    K.S. Natarajan
how at least in 1989 worked at     IBM T.J.Watson Research Center

Does anyone know his current email-address?
                                   
Thanks for any help,

Christian

  +-------------------------------+------------------------------------------+
  | Christian B. Suttner          |                                          |
  | TU Muenchen                   |                                          |
  | Institut fuer Informatik      | EMAIL: suttner@informatik.tu-muenchen.de |
  | Augustenstr. 46, RGB 2.Stock  | PHONE: +49-89-521098                     |
  | D-8000 Muenchen 2, Germany    | FAX  : +49-89-526502                     |
  +-------------------------------+------------------------------------------+
 

Newsgroups: comp.parallel,comp.theory
From: sarnath@sybil.cs.buffalo.edu (Ramnath Sarnath)
Subject: parallel search
Apparently-To: comp-parallel@cis.ohio-state.edu
Originator: sarnath@sybil.cs.Buffalo.EDU
Organization: State University of New York at Buffalo/Comp Sci
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1992 22:20:37 GMT


I am looking for references to Parallel search algorithms on 
ordered/partially ordered structures.

I would appreciate any pointers.

sarnath

Newsgroups: comp.parallel
From: jet@nas.nasa.gov (J. Eric Townsend)
Subject: mimd-based make(1)?
Apparently-To: comp-parallel@ames.arc.nasa.gov
Organization: Numerical Aerodynamic Simulation, NASA Ames
Date: 28 Aug 92 13:03:24


I remember a discussion of parallel makes a while back, but I didn't
save anything from it (silly me :-).

I'm looking for any code or work that's been done with MIMD-based make
programs.  The makes that I've found source for so far (ucb, gnu)
assume that the OS handles scheduling and load balancing and simply
fork off a number of concurrent compiles.

I'd like to be able to submit a make to a mimd-dm machine, w/o OS
scheduling, however.  I'm interested in writing the code if it doesn't
exist already, so references to papers, tr's and the like are
acceptible.

Thanks...


--
             J. Eric Townsend --  jet@nas.nasa.gov -- 415.604.4311
           '91 CB750, soon to be replaced by a '92 R100R, DoD# 0378
      "Heads.  Heads.  Heads.  Heads.  Heads.  Heads." -- R & G Are Dead

Newsgroups: comp.parallel
From: bmw@isgtec.com (Bruce M. Walker)
Subject: Re: Locks without using atomic instructions
Summary: one implementation in C
Keywords: Lock asynchronous
Organization: ISG Technologies Inc., Mississauga Ontario
Date: 	Tue, 1 Sep 1992 09:02:50 -0400


In article <1992Aug31.124322.2555@hubcap.clemson.edu> iane@werple.pub.uu.oz.au (Ian Evans) writes:
> Let's say that there is a system (unfortunately there is) where some
> person (me) wants to get a few different computers communicating reliably,
> and the only available mechanism is reading a shared memory location, or
> writing a location, but there is no atomic set & test type instruction.
> It is possible, however, to get a unique system-wide process ID.

A working algorithm is described (in a Pascalish dialect) in "Operating
Systems Concepts", by Silberschatz et al.  I know it works because I've
tested it on an 8-cpu multiprocessor.

I translated it into C, and it's pretty small, so what the heck!
here it is ...

------ begin spinlock.c -----
/*
 * spinlock.c -- critical regions support
 *
 * This algorithm is from "Operating System Concepts, 2nd Ed., Peterson &
 * Silberschatz; Addison Wesley"; chapter 9, Algorithm 5.
 * Algorithm is due to Eisenberg and McGuire 1972.
 */

/*
 * Instructions:
 *
 * Define a spin-lock structure with the macro DEF_SPIN().
 * Lock a critical region by calling lock() and passing the address
 *  of a spin-lock structure to it.
 * Un-lock the critical region by calling unlock() with the same address.
 *
 * You must supply a routine my_proc_id() that yields a system-wide unique
 * integer identifier for each cpu, and a value for the macro MAX_CPU.
 *
 * Example:
 *
 *   DEF_SPIN(lck)
 *
 *   one_at_a_time()
 *   {
 *       lock(&lck);
 *       ...
 *       unlock(&lck);
 *   }
 */

#include "spinlock.h"

/*
 * attempt to lock a critical region; spin until successful.
 */
void
lock(SPIN *c)
{
	register int j, i = my_proc_id();

	for (;;) {
		c->flag[i] = WANT_IN;
		j = c->turn;
		while (j != i)
			if (c->flag[j] != IDLE)
				j = c->turn;
			else
				j = (j+1) % MAX_CPU;
		for (c->flag[i] = IN_CS;
		     j < MAX_CPU && (j == i || c->flag[j] != IN_CS);
		     j++)
			; /* empty */
		if (j >= MAX_CPU && (c->turn == i || c->flag[c->turn] == IDLE))
			break;
	}
	c->turn = i;
}

/*
 * unlock a critical region.
 */
void
unlock(SPIN *c)
{
	int j = (c->turn+1) % MAX_CPU;
	while (c->flag[j] == IDLE)
		j = (j+1) % MAX_CPU;
	c->turn = j;
	c->flag[my_proc_id()] = IDLE;
}
------ end spinlock.c -----

------ begin spinlock.h -----
/*
 * spinlock.h -- critical regions def'ns
 */

#ifndef _SPINLOCK_H_
#define _SPINLOCK_H_

typedef struct {
	int turn;
	int flag[MAX_CPU];
} SPIN;

/* flags */
#define IDLE	0
#define WANT_IN	1
#define IN_CS	2

#define DEF_SPIN(x)	SPIN x = {0}	/* initialize whole thing to zero */

/* critical.c */
void lock(SPIN *c);
void unlock(SPIN *c);

#endif /* _SPINLOCK_H_ */
------ end spinlock.h -----

ObEnjoy: Enjoy!

--
"The path of my life is strewn with cowpats from the devils' own herd."
                                          -- Edmund Blackadder II
bmw@isgtec.com   [ ...!uunet.ca!isgtec!bmw ]  Bruce Walker

Newsgroups: comp.parallel
From: Mike Stok <mike@meiko.com>
Subject: Re: Synchonizing watches
Organization: Meiko Scientific Corp.
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 92 16:10:49 EDT

In article <1992Sep3.123226.14205@hubcap.clemson.edu> you write:
>[I saw this on sci.logic. I thought it was a nice problem for this group.
>  steve]
>>From: dougs@tvnews.tv.tek.com (Doug Stevens)
>>Message-ID: <1992Sep1.234452.26917@tvnews.tv.tek.com>
>
>The problem is to devise a procedure such that A and B can, via their 
>telephone connection only, accurately synchronize their watches (to
>within a few seconds). The watches do not have to reflect time in the
>real world, but must match each other. Both A and B will know the procedure 
>before the call begins, and each will know whether he is A or B.
>
>Thanks for any help.
>

Have you checked out how NTP (network time protocol) is able to
sybchronise time between machines?  The obvious solution is to allow
both watches to stop, and set them both to the same arbitrary time -
OK they'd only be right once (or twice) a day but they would always
show the same time :-)

Mike

-- 
The "usual disclaimers" apply.    | ... many were weak and confused, succumbing
Mike Stok                         | to drink or drugs whenever possible ...
mike@meiko.com                    |
Meiko tel: (617) 890 7676         |                          Hunter S. Thompson


Newsgroups: comp.parallel
From: gratclif@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Gregory W Ratcliff)
Subject: Miniboard Status (PCB)
Summary: They are coming along
Keywords: miniboard 68hc11 robots
Organization: The Ohio State University
Distribution: na
Date: Sat, 29 Aug 1992 06:08:43 GMT


The artwork arrived today from Douglas.  Just in time for the
weekend.  I will begin with fabrication now.  I will make
about 25 extra boards, as there has been  a pretty steady
stream of "straglers" that want a few boards.  The
target ship date from me will still be the 15th.

Everybody is entered into a mail alias if I have your address.
This list will be forwarded to Fred to allow updates, etc.

A test mailing should be out after I find all the errors in the
alias file <grin>.

I finally got a look at the complete document set. Nice stuff. 


The fun begins....
Greg

-- 
Gregory W. Ratcliff  Ratcliff.8@osu.edu  on the internet   
Columbus, Ohio     ICBM
nz8r@w8cqk 	 on the air
N1697X     	 in the air
Newsgroups: comp.robotics
From: sean@cs.tamu.edu (Sean Graves)
Subject: Architecture update
Organization: Computer Science Department, Texas A&M University
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1992 15:48:50 GMT

About a month ago I posted a query concerning control architectures for
intelligent robot architectures.  Well, I had some excellent responses, and my
paper is going well.  I plan to make it available for ftp when it is done. I
would like to thank the following people who responded to my query:

Olcay Boz  (ob00@lehigh.edu)
Ruth Aylett (R.Aylett@arrc.salf.ac.uk)
David Gaw (dgaw@ads.com)
Phil Kahn (pkahn@ads.com)
Martin Boyer (mboyer@ireq-robot.hydro.qc.ca)
Willie Lim (wlim@gdstech.grumman.com)

I know there were a few others as well, so if I didn't list you here, I'm
sorry!

Again - to those who requested information on my work, I will be posting the
results soon (I hope).

--
Sean Graves                  (sean@cs.tamu.edu)
Dept. of Computer Science
Texas A&M University
Newsgroups: comp.robotics
From: gratclif@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Gregory W Ratcliff)
Subject: Miniboard stats....
Organization: The Ohio State University
Distribution: na
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1992 22:27:12 GMT


Status of Miniboards...

I talked to the folks photoplotting the miniboard tooday  (Wed 8/26/92).
The art was received from Fred this morning and the plots are shipping
today (fast eh?) UPS blue to me.  

I may have them on Friday.... the art that is.  Boards by around the
15th.

The total count is around 60 boards.

Very few people have ordered more than 1 or 2 boards..... I guess thats
ok.  If anyone really wants a postcard email me.  
I will be emailing to everyone that provided an address, the acknowledgement
of their check.

Any objections to posting the email addresses of all who ordered boards?


Thanks gwr

-- 
Gregory W. Ratcliff  Ratcliff.8@osu.edu  on the internet   
Columbus, Ohio     ICBM
nz8r@w8cqk 	 on the air
N1697X     	 in the air
Newsgroups: comp.robotics
From: fredm@media.mit.edu (Fred Martin)
Subject: Mini Board 2.0 schematic now available
Organization: MIT Media Laboratory
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1992 15:35:07 GMT

Hello readers,

The schematic for the Mini Board design is now on-line.  Please FTP to
our server (cher.media.mit.edu), go to directory pub/miniboard/docs,
and retrieve the file "schematic.PS".  

When sent to your PostScript printer, this will yield a one-page
printout of the Mini Board schematic design.

Hope this is helpful.

	- Fred Martin
-- 
Fred Martin | fredm@media.mit.edu | (617) 253-7143 | 20 Ames St. Rm. E15-301
Epistemology and Learning Group, MIT Media Lab     | Cambridge, MA 02139 USA
From: cyberman@toz.buffalo.ny.us (Cyberman)
Newsgroups: comp.robotics
Subject: Re: sliprings
Date: 28 Aug 92 01:44:06 GMT
X-Maildoor: WaflineMail 1.00r


     -=> Don Meyer spoke of "Re: sliprings" <=-
    To All at 08-26-92  16:03
 DM> Hmmm.  I've got one of the ones that just sits there (not wheeled) and
 DM> it appears to be purely mechanical as far as movement of the gripper
 DM> etc. I think the motor is fixed in the base and power is transmited via
 DM> gears and clutches and shafts.  Haven't opened it up though...

The Armatron 1 had 1 motor that ran a "transmission" into 6
gears.  Each of these gears drove one of 6 concentric rings at
the base of the arm.  The rings drove shafts which transfered to
power through the arm.  Between joint's more gears transfered
power to the next stage.  I successfully converted one to 6
motors several years back using steppers, drive shafts, and some
modifications to hold the shafts so the gears were driven.

It was sloppy running but fun.

        Stephen Cyberman@Toz.Buffalo.NY.US
        Scripted at Thu  08-27-1992  09:25:28

... Backup not found: (A)bort (R)etry (P)anic
--- Blue Wave/QWK v2.10
                       
Newsgroups: comp.robotics,comp.realtime
From: tlhouns@ns.pacbell.com (Lee Hounshell)
Subject: Miniboard 2.0 - I need to support LOTS of motors..
Organization: Pacific Bell
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL5
Distribution: na
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1992 00:13:02 GMT

  The robotics application I'm constructing (which will probably be using the
miniboard) needs to control a lot of motors.  I'll only need one speed, however.
I'll also need forward/backward control.  I'm thinking of a modification add-on
board that will permit each of the miniboard's 4 motor ports to control 16!!!
motors (for a total of 64 motors per miniboard). I would appreciate any net
feedback/comments/suggestions/etc.. that anyone may have.

Here's what I'd like to do:

  At the moment, each of the motors uses a "control" register to control that
motor's direction and speed.  The register is divided in half.. 4 bits to
control forward direction/speed and 4 bits for backward direction/speed.
This gives us 16 speeds forward and 16 speeds backward.

  The miniboard actually sends current (or no current) to the motor in pulses..
If you think of a "time segment" as being divided into 16 units, then the
motor will receive power (or not receive power) for each of the 16 units.
What I'd like to do is feed the motor control leads into another circuit
board that "counts" the number of pulses over 16 time units and selects
the appropriate motor based on how many pulses were received.  The direction
can be selected the same as before (ie: high/low set of control register bits).

  I also don't want the selected motors to operate continuously.  Instead, I'd
like them to only work for about 1/4 to 1/2 a second in the selected direction.
Continuous operation of a motor would be achieved (simulated, actually) by
multiple "enable" commands from the controlling computer (a Sun Sparcstation,
in my case).

  An obvious drawback to the approach I'm considering is that for each bank of
16 motors, only 1 of the motors will be "activated" at a time.  For me, though,
I don't think that this will present too much of a problem as I'll have a
network of 4 miniboards (256 motors total!!) and will only need to control 16
of them at any one time.

  Since my forte' is programming (as opposed to circuit design) I'd really
appreciate any help that can be offered in either creating an add-on board
for the miniboard to accomplish this OR to somehow modify the miniboard itself..


--
Lee Hounshell - (510) 823-2432
tlhouns@srv.pacbell.com
Alchemical Engineer and Virtual Realist
From: koolish@BBN.COM (Richard M. Koolish)
Newsgroups: comp.robotics
Subject: 68hc11 versions
Date: 2 Sep 92 17:48:35 GMT
Article-I.D.: news.la9vjjINNe60
Reply-To: koolish@BBN.COM (Richard M. Koolish)
Distribution: world
Organization: Bolt Beranek and Newman Inc., Cambridge MA
NNTP-Posting-Host: bbn.com


Motorola publishes a small blurb that compares the features of the
various 68HC11 versions.  It is publication SG166/D titled "Advanced MCUs
Update".  It tells you all about how much of what kind of memory each
chip has, how many timers, i/o pins, what package it is in, etc.
Newsgroups: comp.robotics
From: gerry@cmu.edu (Gerry Roston)
Subject: Re: sliprings
Reply-To: gerry@cmu.edu (Gerry Roston)
Organization: Field Robotics Center, CMU
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1992 21:25:37 GMT

What makes the Armetron so intriguing is that it is entirely
mechanical.  Be careful though if you plan to open one up.. they can
go SPROING if you are not careful.

--
Gerry Roston (gerry@cmu.edu)    | In the first place it is to be remembered
Field Robotics Center,          | that the general government is not to be
Carnegie Mellon University      | charged with the whole power of making and
Pittsburgh, PA, 15213           | administering laws.  Its jurisdiction is
(412) 268-3856                  | limited to certain enumerated objects...
                                | James Madison
The opinions expressed are mine | 
and do not reflect the official | 
position of CMU, FRC, RedZone,  | 
or any other organization.      | 
Newsgroups: comp.robotics
From: fredm@media.mit.edu (Fred G Martin)
Subject: MC68HC11 trivia
Organization: MIT Media Laboratory
Date: Sun, 30 Aug 1992 13:55:17 GMT

In article <1992Aug29.220411.3485@hemlock.cray.com> kilian@cray.com
(Alan Kilian) writes: 

+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| PART NUMBER | EPROM | ROM | EEPROM | RAM |  Comments
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| MC68HC11A8  |  ---  |  8K |   512  | 256 | Family built around this device   
| MC68HC11A1  |  ---  | --- |   512  | 256 | 'A8 with ROM disabled             
| MC68HC11A0  |  ---  | --- |   ---  | 256 | 'A8 with ROM and EEPROM disabled  
etc.


Motorola won't tell you this, but versions of the 6811 that don't have
EEPROM (for example, the mc68hc11a0) actually *have* the EEPROM on the
chip die, and the die didn't pass inspection, so the chip was packaged
as "6811 without EEPROM."

This means that you can pop the CONFIG register to turn on the EEPROM,
and voila, the EEPROM is there!  I've tried this on a number of
different chips and it does work.  Of course, you shouldn't use this
EEPROM for mission-critical applications, because it's not up to spec,
but for a lot of hobbyist applications, it'll work just fine.

	- Fred
Newsgroups: comp.robotics,sci.electronics