bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Performance analysis of a multimedia synchronization mechanism based on buffer compensation in a mobile environment
Authors: La Corte Aurelio , Lombardo Alfio , Palazzo Sergio
Published: January 2007

In a mobile communication system network performance varies considerably when handovers occur. This occurrence strongly impacts the design of the buffer compensation based techniques usually used in the fixed communication environments for minimizing probability of asynchronism between the different media composing a multimedia session. This paper provides an analytical paradigm for dimensioning synchronization buffers at the interface node between the wired and the wireless networks when network delay varies during a multimedia session due to the user mobility. For this purpose, the factors related to terminal mobility which have to be taken into account in the design of a synchronization mechanism are briefly introduced and appropriate user-perceived Quality of Service parameters referring to the synchronization of multimedia services are also introduced
A COMPARISON OF TABULAR AND GRAPHICAL DISPLAYS IN FOUR PROBLEM-SOLVING DOMAINS
Authors: Lalomia Mary J. , Coovert Michael D.
Published: January 2007

The effectiveness of graphical versus tabular displays on problem solving has been the focus of much research (DeSanctis, 1984). However, review of this research shows no systematic attempts have been made to identify how performance in specific problem solving domains are affected by tabular or graphical displays.
Human factors in computer systems: some useful readings
Authors: Green Paul
Published: January 2007

Four years ago I began teaching a course on Human Factors and Computer Systems at the University of Michigan (formerly Industrial and Operations Engineering (IOE) 491, now IOE 436). An overview of that course is given in a paper that appeared in
IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications
(Green, 1984). That paper sparked the interest of many people outside the University and, as a consequence, I have received requests for additional information. While there have been many improvements in the class exercises and software used for the course since that article, a significant change was the addition of a collection of readings two years ago. This article identifies those materials and comments on them. That information should be useful to educators developing their own courses and to practitioners interested in current developments in user interface design.
How faithfully should the electronic office simulate real one?
Authors: Johnson Jeff
Published: January 2007

The naïve answer to this question --- "as closely as possible" --- is wrong for several reasons. First, it fails to recognize that user dexterity in manipulating simulated objects on a computer screen is not as high as it is in the physical world. Second, it wrongly subordinates users' goals to the actions that they perform in the physical office to achieve those goals. Third, it often results in unnecessary development effort and poor system performance. Fourth, it limits the functionality of the system to that provided by its physical counterpart. Finally, it presents a user interface that, though familiar, may not be optimal. There is no simple rule for determining the correct level of detail that a Desktop Metaphor system should have. Such a determination requires either a careful analysis of the desired functionality (taking into account pragmatic considerations such as the difficulty of implementation) or considerable experience in designing such systems. Many developers lack such experience and are unwilling to do the necessary analysis, and thus wind up applying the naïve approach. Some heuristics are presented to help guide designers away from the naïve approach.
Software development snapshots: A preliminary investigation
Authors: Leventhal Laura Marie
Published: January 2007

A continuing challenge to investigators of human-computer interaction issues is the selection of an appropriate methodology. A particularly difficult aspect of methodology has been the choice of a proper test instrument. In the past, small programs have been favored by researchers because they were relatively easy to manage in a controlled experimental setting. Unfortunately the relationship between the cognitive demands of small programs and of real-world software systems remains unclear. Large programs as task elements bear more resemblence to software in realistic software development settings but tend to be difficult to control in an experimental setting (cf. Moher & Schneider, 1981).
Reuse libraries for real-time multimedia over the network
Authors: Benedicenti Luigi , Succi Giancarlo , Vernazza Tullio , Kovacs George , Valerio Andrea
Published: January 2007

Throughout the software industry there is an increasingly critical need to reduce the costs of producing software, while at the same time providing higher quality and coping with an increasing demand for sophisticated, ultra-complex systems. Software development with and for reuse promises to address this situation.This paper considers a case study involving a company in Northeastern Italy which undertook the implementation of a reuse-oriented, multimedia, network-distributed software entities library. It was soon discovered that unfortunately institutionalizing reuse is not a straightforward process. Despite completing the implementation and refinement of the tool, the firm encountered resistance in getting software engineers and managers to use it.The main role in reuse was played by management taking decisions in setting up an appropriate corporate reuse policy that rendered the reuse application tool effective. This paper surveys the associated problems and suggesting potential solutions, making references to the particular case study.
OpenMath support under CSL-hosted REDUCE
Authors: Triulzi Arrigo
Published: January 2007

OpenMath is a standard for representing mathematical objects. This paper describes an attempt to include OpenMath support into the computer algebra system R
EDUCE
. This support is limited to the version based upon Cambridge Standard Lisp and is based upon the OpenMath C Library developed under Esprit project 24.969. The rationale for this effort was to avoid having to rewrite substantial amounts of code due to changes in the OpenMath standard but instead relying on the underlying C Library to provide the necessary modifications.
A reduce-based OpenMath ↔ MathML translator
Authors: Sobreviela Luis Alvarez
Published: January 2007

The increase in importance of OpenMath and MathML as mathematical representations revealed the need for an interface relating them both transparently. An interface should offer the possibility of translating expressions from one standard to the other while remaining faithful to semantic meaning. Given that there is a distinction between MathML's and OpenMath's approach to encoding mathematics, such an interface would allow the user to benefit from the strong points of each standard.This issue motivated the design and implementation of my OpenMath/MathML Interface for REDUCE. The primary aim was to understand the differences and similarities between OpenMath and MathML, to assess their exchange-ability and develop a way of mapping one standard to the other. This analysis can be read in my project documentation which is available online at [2]. Finally, the objective was to produce an interface, which would translate OpenMath into MathML and vice versa fulfilling the requirements outlined above.This article intends to expose certain concerns encountered throughout the interface design and implementation, mainly the question of how to translate one standard into the other via an intermediate representation. I will assume the reader is familiar with OpenMath [1, 3], MathML [6] and REDUCE [4].
Interactive mathematics via the Web using MathML
Authors: Wright Francis J.
Published: January 2007

MathML is a mathematical markup language intended for displaying mathematics in web browsers. At present, it can be used to display mathematics generated dynamically in response to interactive queries only if the browsing and generating facilities are chosen carefully. This paper examines the background and possible options, and describes some of the details of the use of MathML to display the output from a web-based demonstration of an ordinary differential equation solver running in R
EDUCE
. Two screenshots showing examples of rendered MathML output are included.
End to End Performance Modeling of Web Server Architectures
Authors: Hadharan R. , Ehrlich W. K. , Cura D. , Reeser P. K.
Published: January 2007

Web server performance in a distributed Object-Oriented (OO) environment is a complex interplay between a variety of factors (e.g., hardware platform, threading model, object scope model, server operating system, network bandwidth, disk file size, caching). In this paper, we present a model-based approach to Web Server performance evaluation in terms of an end-to-end queueing model implemented in a simulation tool. We have applied this model to Active Server Page (ASP) and Common Object Model (COM) technology in Microsoft's Internet Information Server and to the Java Server Page (JSP) and JavaBean technology in both IIS and Netscape Enterprise Server (NES). Our results indicate that for the ASP Script Engine, performance predictions from the simulation model matched the performance observed in a test environment. However, for the JSP Script Engine, the model predicted higher throughput than laboratory test results at high load. This result suggests that Web Server performance can be severely limited by a software bottleneck that causes requests to be serialized. This may cause a request to wait for some resource (i.e., a lock) as opposed to consuming CPU or memory. Implications of these results for Web Server performance in general are discussed
Applications of hashing in algebraic manipulation (an annotated bibliography)
Authors: Ponder Carl G.
Published: January 2007

There are several ways of applying hashing techniques in symbolic manipulation systems. Hashing can be used to reduce the time and space requirements of programs, as well as provide powerful techniques of pattern matching. Descriptions and references are given for innovative applications of hashing.
A note on a paper by M. Mignotte
Authors: Akritas Alkiviadis G.
Published: January 2007

In his paper "An Inequality About Factors of Polynomials" [1] M. Mignotte proved the following sharp inequality about the product of some roots of a polynomial. (This inequality was then used to bound the coefficients of the factors of a polynomial.)
Job histories as predictors of career success in management information systems
Authors: Morgan Marilyn A.
Published: January 2007

This research recognizes the lack of knowledge about career issues in data processing and proposes a way of examining the job histories of MIS managers to predict their career success. Job history is defined as a series of job experiences over the span of the person's work life. Results from research in other professional groups suggests that job histories are critical determinants of overall career success. When tested in the MIS environment, the results are expected to show that the series of jobs throughout a data processing manager's career affects the overall level of success achieved and that ability and job history predict career success in an additive rather than an interactive way. These results are discussed in terms of their implications for researchers and practitioners in the MIS area.
An overview of the Georgia Tech Broadband Institute at the Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, USA
Authors: Jayant Nikil , Pippin John
Published: January 2007

The Georgia Tech Broadband Institute was created in 1999, as a combination of two evolving organizations --- the Broadband Telecommunications Center (created in 1995) and the Georgia Tech Wireless Institute (created in 1998). The consolidation of the centers was in reflection of the synergy that existed between the centers, and the overlap in terms of existing and potential Industry sponsorship. The 1999 merger recognized that the future of wireless included an overarching trend towards broadband capability, and that from the user or application viewpoint, seamless and broadband connectivity were more significant than the medium used for the connection. In the rest of this summary, we focus on the Wireless component of the Georgia Tech Broadband Institute, the Georgia Tech Wireless Institute for short.
Automatic menu generation
Authors: Cousins Steve
Published: January 2007

Conventional
Prolog
implementions support dynamic update of the data base using assert and retract. Changes to the data base allow global information to be shared throughout various parts of a program. The advantage is quick access to information which would otherwise be exchanged using shared
Prolog
variables.
AI related dissertations
Authors: Humphrey Susanne M. , Krovetz Bob
Published: January 2007

The following are citations selected by title and abstract as being related to Al, resulting from a computer search, using the BRS Information Technologies retrieval service, of the Dissertation Abstracts International (DAI) database produced by University Microfilms International.The online file includes abstracts, which are not published in this listing, but the citations below do include the DAI reference for finding the abstract in the published DAI. Other elements of the citation are author; university, degree, and, if available, number of pages; title; UM order number and year-month of DAI; and DAI subject category chosen by the author of the dissertation. References are sorted first by the initial DAI subject category and second by the author. In addition the database includes masters abstracts, denoted by MAI (Masters Abstracts International) instead of DAI as the reference to the abstract in the published MAI.Unless otherwise specified, paper or microform copies of dissertations may be ordered from University Microfilms International, Dissertation Copies, Post Office Box 1764, Ann Arbor, MI 48106; telephone for U.S. (except Michigan, Hawaii, Alaska): 1-800-521-3042, for Canada; 1-800-268-6090. Price lists and other ordering and shipping information are in the introduction to the published DAI.
Fortran 8X—the draft Fortran standard revision
Authors: Adams J. , Reid J.
Published: January 2007

A revision (Fortran 8x) of the current Fortran Standard (Fortran 77), has been forwarded by X3J3, the Fortran Standards Committee, to X3, the Committee on Information Processing under the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). At the same time, an international group of Fortran experts (Working Group 5 of Subcommittee 22 under the International Standards Organization (ISO) ) has also approved further processing of the draft revision.
An approximate analysis of the shortest queue policy on soft real-time scheduling
Authors: Zhu Weiping
Published: January 2007

The
join the shortest queue
(JSQ) policy is studied in the context of soft real-time scheduling. An approximate analysis of the JSQ is developed and presented in this paper. The result obtained from the approximate analysis is compared against the simulation one, that shows the approximate analysis is highly accurate. Thus, the approximate analysis can be applied to the development of soft real-time systems.
Performance evaluation of different TCP error detection and congestion control strategies over a wireless link
Authors: Lang Tanja , Floreani Daniel
Published: January 2007

In this paper we present an evaluation of the two major parts of TCP that impact its performance in wireless environments, namely error detection and congestion control. We have re-implemented the most commonly used TCP error detection and congestion control strategies using a modular design technique. Using this implementation we have evaluated the performance in terms of throughput and underlying network usage of different combinations of these strategies over a lossy link with high propagation delay. Our results have shown that selective acknowledgments work well together with any congestion control mechanism and that some combinations of error detection and congestion control suffer from a high amount of unnecessary retransmissions. Consequentely we prorpose a solution to this proplem.
IP-based services over GPRS
Authors: Chitre Vikrant A. , Daigle John N.
Published: January 2007

The utility of mobile computing in the future will be determined to a large degree by the quality of service achievable over cellular based systems. In this paper, we examine the traffic-handling capabilities of General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) with respect to supporting IP-based Internet services. We begin with an overview of GPRS. We then present an analytical model to assess throughput of the reverse link as a function of the number of users connected and the distribution of user message lengths for a scenario in which users are continuously backlogged. Next, we investigate the capability of GPRS to support World Wide Web access using a modified version of the analytical model. Specifically, we present a realistic scenario for user sessions operating under the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), and we assess the transaction-handling capabilities as a function of the number of user sessions, taking into account network delays, forward link transmission, random access delay, and other factors. We also consider a scenario where both continuously backlogged users and users operating HTTP sessions are present. We conclude with a discussion of some open issues in the design of GPRS based Internet access.
A comparison between mcASM and META29R
Authors: Denniston Brad
Published: January 2007

mcASM is a second generation microcode assembler, from Microtec Research, Inc., that incorporates the latest in software technology and years of bit-slice experience. New features make mcASM faster and easier to use so that the assembler package does more of the detail work. This allows the programmer to concentrate on the target system algorithm thereby achieving a more intelligent and more competetive target system sooner.
Microcode assistant
Authors: Haverlack Richard J.
Published: January 2007

The Microcode Assistant is the interactive, graphic tool for creating, editing, assembling and verifying microcode.
CAD tool interchangeability through Net list translation
Authors: Meyer Steve
Published: January 2007

The argument for electronic circuit logic design tool interchangeability by means of source-destination specific net list translation within a framework of Unix operating system commands is presented. After describing the information necessary for design verification using an assortment of diverse tools, various design tool interchangeability alternatives are considered. Discussion of net list translator examples, Unix like design movement programs, and translation speed complete the argument.
Life and death in Silicon Valley memoirs of an adventure capitalist
Authors: Fish Russell
Published: January 2007

I witnessed a spectacular example of what can happen when someone forgets what's really important. A skydiver always lives with the possibility of a parachute not opening. That's why he carries a second chute. I watched a man fall to within seconds of death while waiting for his chute to open. At the last moment it did and he landed safely. When asked why he didn't try to open his second chute, he said, "I didn't want to have to bother repacking it." I made a brief mental note never to hire this person.
Summary of Allen Newell's CHI'85 address, “the prospects for science in human-computer interaction”
Authors: Moran Thomas P.
Published: January 2007

The most popular highlight of
CHI '85 Conference
was the Plenary Address by Professor Allen Newell of Carnegie-Mellon University. His address was a frank and opinionated assessment of whether a psychological science of the user can have an impact on the field of human-computer interaction -- not just by packing the CHI conferences with psychologists, but by really contributing a science base that raises the quality of the design of human-computer interfaces.
Laboratory exercises for a graduate/undergraduate course in human-computer interaction
Authors: Kramer Arthur F. , Schumacher Robert M.
Published: January 2007

A graduate/undergraduate course in Human-Computer Interaction is offered jointly by the Psychology and Industrial Engineering Departments at the University of Illinois. The course was first offered five years ago in a lecture/discussion format. However, it soon became obvious that an HCI course without a laboratory/practical section was about as useful as medical training without clinical practice. Therefore, the second time the course was offered it contained a laboratory component which included both theoretically--based empirical research within the confines of the "formal" laboratory as well as field research. The purpose of this note is to share some of the laboratory exercises and discussion outlines that we have developed.
Climbing the smalltalk mountain
Authors: Rosson Mary Beth , Carroll John M.
Published: January 2007

Part of the promise of object-oriented software technology - and much of the fascination with objected-orientedness -- stems from its
psychological
implications. Thinking in terms of objects sending and responding to messages is supposed to be more "natural" than thinking of various data structures being operated on by generic procedures. Programming by using or specializing existent objects and their methods is supposed to make code reuse accessible even to beginners.
Evaluation of the next interface builder for prototyping a smart telephone
Authors: Thakkar Umesh , Perlman Garry , Miller Dave
Published: January 2007

The programming-by-example paradigm promises to allow non-programmers and programmers alike to develop software more effectively. The NeXT Interface Builder is a tool for prototyping and developing highly graphical user interfaces. To evaluate the effectiveness of the NeXT Interface Builder, we developed the smartPhone application and collected data on the efforts of four programmers' development of a programmable telephone user interface. The main result was that with minimal training, the NeXT Interface Builder allows programmers to develop non-trivial application user interfaces in about an hour. On the negative side, more expertise and effort is required to develop object-oriented applications required for interface to the Interface Builder. We conclude with a recommendation for more empirical evaluation of the NeXT system.
A new magazine on computer-human interaction?
Authors: Meyers Brad A.
Published: January 2007

"How many items should I have in my menus?""What is interesting about the NeXT user interface?""If I am generating my own "look-and-feel," what can I use from other systems?""What tools are available to help me generate user interfaces for a Sun under X? for a PC under Presentation Manager? for a Macintosh?""How do I evaluate whether the user interface on my system is any good?""What are the real computer-human interaction problems in industry that researchers should be addressing?""What would be a good PhD thesis topic in the area of human-computer interaction?"There is currently no journal or magazine that addresses these kinds of issues in a way that is of interest to both researchers and practitioners. At its meeting in Boulder, Colorado in October, 1989, the SIGCHI Publications Committee voted enthusiastically to investigate the founding of a new magazine on computer-human interaction to address the area of interface design and implementation. This article presents some thoughts about what this magazine might be like.
A progress report from the SIGCHI committee on publications/communications
Authors: Polson Peter G.
Published: January 2007

This is a brief report of the activities of the SIGCHI Committee on Publications/ Communications. This paper describes the circumstances that led to the establishment of the Committee, the Committee's charge, and the results of a meeting held in Boulder, Colorado on October 15, 1989. The major decision made at the Boulder meeting was to recommend the establishment of a CHI magazine. This proposal is described in a companion article by Brad Myers. Reactions can be sent to me, Brad Myers, or to the Committee as a whole by e-mail at Publications.CHI@Xerox.com.
The standards factor
Authors: Billingsley Pat
Published: January 2007

This quarter's collection of committee updates is based largely on information provided by Ken Holdaway. As User Interface Standards Representative for IBM, Ken regularly travels the world to attend the meetings of JTC1/SC18/WG9 (which he chairs), ISO/TC159/SC4/WG5, HFS-HCI, ANSI X3V1.9, IEEE P1201, and CCITT. In an arena where politics often plays at least as large a role as science, Ken's diplomacy and easy-going manner help keep things running smoothly. He is always willing to share information and ideas, and for all that I'd like to say: Thanks, Ken!
Trip report
Authors: Nielsen Jakob
Published: January 2007

At the first hypertext conference,
Hypertext'87
, there was some talk that we would soon stop having special hypertext conferences, just as we do not have special conferences about, say word processors. Future conferences would be focused on various application domains and might every now and then include papers on the use of a hypertext system. On the other hand there
are
still conferences about e.g. databases even though they have been one of the most commercially successful and widespread applications of computers. It may be too soon to call the final outcome, but right now it seems that hypertext conferences are proliferating (almost too much, in fact).
Simulation of integer valued random variables
Authors: Douglas J. B.
Published: January 2007

A function is presented which returns a simulated frequency distribution for an integer valued random variable whose probability distribution is specified either numerically or by name.
Normal simulation through APL computer language
Authors: Danial Edward J. , Katti S. K.
Published: January 2007

A very simple APL function with the capability of simulating random sample from the widely applied normal distribution, through the very important central limit theorem, is introduced. Documentations and examples are presented.
Teaching mathematical programming with APL
Authors: Lin Edward Y. H.
Published: January 2007

In her article entitled "The Future of APL in Education" [8], Traberman called for offering "a demonstration lesson to show teachers and/or students how easy and powerful APL is". Easy and powerful it may be, indeed; however, before he or she can appreciate APL, there are major problems that confront an APL novice. They include error messages (which usually do not provide them with much useful information at an early stage), readability (i.e. APL symbolic notations) and difficulties in coping with function looping (i.e. inefficiency in re-interpreting). These difficulties often result in criticism from APL laymen such as in [2, 5, 7], and may turn away some potential APL programmers or users.I offer the following example from my teaching experience, as an illustration of how to "guide" APL novices toward better understanding of appropriate APL programming.
The time is ripe for a dyadic execute
Authors: Jizba Zdenek V.
Published: January 2007

A dyadic execute primitive will greatly simplify the building of Artificial Intelligence applications using APL. This function can also be used to remove much of the need for labels within defined functions. A suggested name for this new APL primitive is "rule".
The death of Bit-slice
Authors: Eager Michael J.
Published: January 2007

In 1982, Nick Tredennick [Tred82] described his view of the universe of microprogramming. He divided it into four "cultures:"
Commercial Machine Culture
The developers of general purpose computer families.
Bit-Slice Culture
The developers of specialized systems built with standard bit-slice components.
Microprogrammable Machine Culture
The developers of systems that can emulate several computer architectures.
Single-Chip Culture
The developers of microprocessors who use microprogramming as an implementation technique.
Book Review: Symbolic Computing with Lisp and Prolog by Robert A Mueller and Rex L. Page (John Wiley and Sons)
Authors: Saeed Faisel
Published: January 2007

This book covers the major portions of symbolic computing and denotational (declarative) programming. The main thrust of the authors is to contrast and compare the two major tools for symbolic computing, viz. Lisp and Prolog. For this purpose, the book has been sub-divided into the following four major sections:Section I: Lisp;Section II: Prolog;Section III: Lisp vs Prolog; andSection IV: Applications.Each of these sections is further sub-divided into several chapters covering different aspects of the topic. Every chapter contains a variety of examples, solved respectively in Lisp or Prolog in the first two sections and in both the languages in the last two sections. Also, each of the chapters is followed by a chapter summary, bibliography notes, and a set of exercises. The spectrum of topics covered for each language includes, notation for data and variables, relations containing facts, list manipulation, recursion, unification, debugging, input/output, backtracking, higher-order functions, and manipulation of numbers.
AMPL
Authors: Masterson Fred A.
Published: January 2007

Increasing the total audience for APL and APL-like languages is desirable because of APL's many human-efficient features. AMPL is a modification of APL which is targeted for DECsystem-10 users who have been or would be discouraged by APL's nonstandard keyboard and idiosyncratic internal editor.
A standard for safety management in design
Authors: Geary Kevin
Published: January 2007

This paper explains the rationale for Interim Defence Standard 00-56 and discusses the benefits of its use. The Standard, which has found favour in the UK civil sector as well as being applied to military systems, is considered in the context of increasing sociological awareness of safety. A brief overview of content is supplemented by notice of future developments.
A priority Ethernet LAN protocol and its performance
Authors: Obaidat M. S. , Donahue D. L.
Published: January 2007

In this paper we presents a new scheme for introducing priorities into the CSMA/CD protocol known as Ethernet and analyze its performance. This scheme allows for the rapid transmission of important or urgent messages, even under heavy traffic conditions.The Ethernet protocol, which is widely used in industry, can be modified using existing chips and software to allow for prioritizing of packets by the scheme outlined in this paper. The scheme consists of random waiting times based upon the packets priority level and the worst-case propagation delay (or slot-time). The performance of the proposed protocol is studied under different traffic conditions and environments using simulation modeling.
SPARSE—an expert system for alarm processing and operator assistance in substations control centers
Authors: Vale Zita A. , Fernandes M. Fernanda , Machado e Moura A. , Marques Albino
Published: January 2007

In case of occurrence of an incident in an electrical network, several hundreds of messages per minute may be presented to Control Center operators. This makes very difficult the identification of the fault and to decide about the required actions in order to minimize the consequences of the incident and to restore the service.This paper describes an expert system named SPARSE that provides on-line assistance to the operators of Substation Control Centers (SCC) of the portuguese electrical transmission network. SPARSE performs intelligent alarm processing and provides advice regarding operator actions. This system has been developed by the Faculty of Engineering of University of Porto in a joint project with Electricidade de Portugal, EDP, S.A., the utility that deals with power generation, transmission and distribution in Portugal.
Comparative logical and physical modeling in two OODBMSs
Authors: Wiegand Nancy K. , Adams Teresa M.
Published: January 2007

An application developer's perspective is used to compare modeling and storage in two Object-Oriented Database Management Systems (OODBMSs): ODE (Object Database and Environment) and ObjectStore. Although both systems are based on the object-oriented language C++, differences exist in their OODBMS designs. Comparing the differences between these two systems provides insight into other possible designs or combinations of features that could be possible in an OODBMS. As part of this discussion, internal translations of OODBMS schemas to physical storage are shown. Such knowledge enables an application developer to create appropriate logical and physical database designs and provides a basis for understanding OODBMS software. Features compared in this paper are physical and logical clustering, iterators, sets, joins, inverse pointers, and queries. To facilitate the discussion, a simple Geographic Information System (GIS) schema is presented.
Information retrieval and situation theory
Authors: Huibers T. W. C. , Lalmas M. , van Rijsbergen C. J.
Published: January 2007

In 1986, Van Rijsbergen suggested a model of an information retrieval system based on logic. We have advocated in earlier work that a logical approach should be based on a theory of information, Situation Theory, which provides a powerful range of concepts, and is useful for modelling documents and queries for the purpose of information retrieval. We also showed that Situation Theory provides a framework to represent different types of information retrieval models, thus allowing speculation on their properties and their characterization language. This paper is an essay to convince the reader that Situation Theory presents many characteristics that are both adequate and appropriate for the modelling and the study of information retrieval.
Review of "Making computers pay by Graham, John." Halstead Press, New York, 1976, 159 pp., ISBN 0-470-32086-9
Authors: Willoughby T. C.
Published: January 2007

"This book is directed toward . . nontechnical policy and middle management with guidelines for controlling and evaluating corporate information systems that are being developed. The manager of data processing is provided with a managment skills profile against which he can match his own job performance." (From the Preface). Chapters are: l) The Challenge to Management, 2) System Development Standards, 3) Initiation, 4) Analysis, 5) Design, 6) Development, 7) Implementation, 8) Operation, 9) Conclusion. Emphasis is on a set of sixteen documents which form the core of project management, as it is described by Enger. While these documents might form a starting point for a project manager without previous experience, as a project management book this volume suffers in comparison to others. DP management will find little guidance in it.
Review of "Business needs a new breed of EDP manager by Nolan, Richard L." Harvard Business Review 54, 2 (March-April 1976), 123-133
Authors: Weisbard M. F.
Published: January 2007

The Australian Bureau of Statistics has the task of analysis, design, implementation, and control of complex information systems. This paper describes and discusses the training program which aims to equip the Bureau's non-ADP and ADP staff to effectively manage such systems. Evaluation of the program is discussed in the framework of the general problem of evaluating training such as this, where most objectives are affective rather than cognitive.
Book Review: Fortran 8x Explained, Revised Edition, by Michael Metcalf and John Reid. (Oxford University Press, New York 1989)
Authors: Bierman Kieth
Published: January 2007

In the normal course of events, a language is born, evolves, textbooks crafted, standards hammered out, and textbooks revised.
From the editor
Authors: Meissner Loren P.
Published: January 2007

1. Distribution of the Fortran draft.
In our last episode (dated August 1989), we told you that we were unable to get permission to distribute the May 1989 Fortran 8X draft as an issue of Fortran Forum. Then, some time around the middle of December, you got a copy in the mail. What happened?
From the editor
Authors: Meissner Loren P.
Published: January 2007

Some thoughts on Fortran as a second language.When I started teaching at USF in 1982, the first language for Computer Science students was Fortran. Most of the juniors and seniors in my advanced classes did not know Pascal. This situation has now completely turned around: we are teaching Pascal as a first language and Fortran second.
On “Fortran reliability” (editorial)
Authors: Meissner Loren P.
Published: January 2007

Gerald M Berns, in his letter that was published in Fortran Forum, March 1985, brought up the subject of "Fortran reliability" -- more specifically, the question of whether protective features should be incorporated in Fortran compilers, or in the Fortran language standard, that would make it easier for programmers to write reliable programs.
Forth organizations and vendors
Authors: Ting C. H. , Curley Charles
Published: January 2007

This listing has been collected over many months, and reasonable effort to ensure accuracy has been made. However, neither ACM, SIGForth nor this publication take any responsibility for the accuracy of this listing. No endorsement by either ACM, SIGForth or this publication should be construed.
FORTHought
Authors: Moore Chuck
Published: January 2007

Howdy! I'm Chuck Moore. Twenty years ago, I discovered a computer language.Since then, the years I've spent at Forth terminals have assured me it's a really neat language. Enough other people agree that George Shaw asked me to write this column.
Problems and issues of library automation
Authors: Gabrielle Thomas G.
Published: January 2007

Roll:
Librarians have a vocation as the custodians of information; they have the expertise to manage it well and make things easy to find. The computer center has viewed itself as the proper custodian of machine readable information and its delivery mechanisms, but it has not assumed some of the kinds of responsibilities that libraries have. In some cases, there can be tensions between the library and the computer center, and the factor that relieves the tension is that along with this responsibility goes some fairly substantial costs. Usually neither the library nor the computer center has the budget to manage those costs, so they keep backing away from the responsibility issue until someone comes up with the money that permits them to discharge that responsibility. People in positions like mine need to develop the justification for funding that responsibility and placing whatever the information is in a situation where people can get at it and use it.
Developing a software core for computing centers
Authors: Mhalo William E.
Published: January 2007

The transient nature of the user community at a university computing center and the availability of software across different machines suggest the need for developing software core standards. These standards (or recommendations) could be followed by other universities across the country. Software that meets these standards should be machine-independent, and supported by most university computing centers. The benefit of establishing such a standard is a reduction in training when users move from one university to another.This paper will survey the software characteristics at some university computing centers and identify software common to these institutions. The paper will conclude by making some suggestions for developing a software core that can be followed by university computing centers.
Control of design data in the integrated ship design system
Authors: Bono Peter R.
Published: January 2007

The Navy's Integrated Ship Design System (ISDS) is being designed as a collection of application program modules (for preliminary design) which communicate with a centralized set of data files. These files use the existing COMRADE Data Management system which was designed specifically for Integrated systems.

Apart from providing an environment in which to operate the
engineering application modules, ISDS's main role is to manage the creation, flow and archiving of the ship design data and to control access to this data. Consequently, a major concern during the lengthy and complex ship design process is assuring the integrity of the design data as it grows and is revised over time.

Planning for control of the design data requires a clear understanding of the design process and the interrelationships between the design tasks. Requirements are stated, problem areas are identified, and possible approaches for implementation are suggested.
Data tracking
Authors: Lourie Janice R.
Published: January 2007

Data tracking is a software engineering technique for designing and/or documenting a hierarchically structured software system. Its characteristics include a representation of each module in the system as a complete procedural statement, provision for a two part interface of every module in the application hierarchy to a software support system such as a DB/DC system, a method for hiding subfunctions and a development languge mode. Its capabilities include ease of representing DB/DC as well as batch applications, the ability to stage the design process as well as the implementation process, the definitions of independent development units and the capabality of representing many top-down architectural styles.
A proposal for information systems design and management
Authors: Roland C. , Richard C. , Leifert S.
Published: January 2007

This paper is a global presentation of solutions for IS design and management.

We believe that every solution proposed to a design problem implies
that the designer disposes of a design theoretical model, a language for specification, a design method and tools that help him to apply the design method.

We define such a quartet (model,language, method, tools) in order to
satisfy IS design and management. Furthermore the scope of the approach developed for IS design is to integrate the definition of the data structure, of the program structure and of the synchronization.

This paper is more model and language oriented.
On a fast and portable uniform quasi-random number generator
Authors: Sezgin Fatin
Published: January 2007

This study discusses and presents some comments on a portable random number generator of very large period based on a generalised multi-moduli congruential method. It also shows that by using 50 generators it is possible to extend the period to 1.01*10
105
in a 16 bit machine and by 100 generators to 1.39* 10
592
in a 32 bit machine. For each linear congruential parent generator a prime modulus is determined to achieve the maximum period and the best multiplier is found by applying Spectral Test. Some weaknesses and problems are pointed out.
A customizable user interface for simulation
Authors: Nichols Kathleen M. , Stanton Scott
Published: January 2007

Many simulationists are adding graphical interfaces to simulation tools. Such interfaces can significantly expand a user's ability to interpret results, but can be tedious to implement. Since many of the graphical monitoring devices are of general interest, there is a need for a common platform so graphics work can be shared and reused. To explore the feasibility of a common platform, we used C++, X Windows, and the InterViews toolkit to create a tool, Macaw.Macaw is a visually oriented, modular tool intended for modeling, simulating, and analyzing multiprocessors and networks at a behavioral level. Intended as a flexible tool framework for use with a number of simulators and trace sequencing engines, Macaw provides an environment that the performance modeler can customize. Users can monitor a modeled system by animating the model, and by viewing graphs, charts, and dials that present data collected by examining selected parts of the model. Statistics can be collected and reported textually as well. Macaw is an exploration of the concept of a flexible, customizable platform.In this paper, we explain our reasons for building Macaw, give an overview of Macaw, and describe some of our customizations.
The scholar in the computing center
Authors: Raben Joseph
Published: January 2007

An interesting phenomenon with farreaching consequences for American education (and probably therefore for education around the world) has begun to evolve. More and more academics with excellent credentials--Ph.D.s in subjects like English, history, or archaeology--are begin denied appointments in the departments in which they should be employed. Their inability to obtain appointments may, of course, result simply from the chronic mismatch in American universities between the need for young faculty and the available candidates for such employment. But even while they cannot achieve the type of position they have diligently trained for, these same highly trained specialists are being appointed to a new type of position: humanities computing consultant.
Horse sense from a horse doctor
Authors: Bushby Phil
Published: January 2007

Why is a Veterinarian from Mississippi addressing an audience of individuals associated with University Computer Centers? I believe it is because I represent a unique perspective towards higher education. This perspective has come about because of several unique aspects of the Veterinary Program at Mississippi State University. First our organizational structure is different than that of most other colleges or universities. For example, we don't have committees; we don't even use the word
committee;
we use
advisory board.
What would be the curriculum committee at other institutions is called the Academic Board in our institution. The Academic Board serves as an advisory group to the Academic Program Director. Now, it is possible, within our administrative structure, for a director of a program to ignore the overwhelming advice of his advisory board and make decisions that are contrary to, perhaps, the unanimous vote of the advisory board. You don't stay a director too long if you do that, but it is possible. Things are not, for the most part, done by committee vote.
A chip set microarchitecture for a high-performance VAX implementation
Authors: Brown John F. , Sites Richard L.
Published: January 2007

Fast virtual-address translation and instruction parsing are two hard problems of implementing many modern architectures, including the VAX computer architecture. Meeting the additional constraint of fitting a VAX 11/780-computer-speed implementation into a small number of chips requires a careful coupling of microcode and chip hardware. This paper describes the chip set microarchitecture and the microcode strategies that achieve 11/780 performance. The key features are a VAX instruction prefetch unit occupying one-fourth of a custom NMOS chip, and a memory subsystem occupying another one-fourth of the chip.
Patchable control store for reduced microcode risk in a VLSI VAX microcomputer
Authors: Calcagni Richard E. , Sherwood Will
Published: January 2007

A VLSI VAX microcomputer, which implements the native VAX computer architecture and instruction set, uses 16K by 40 bits of ROM control store. To decrease the cost of making changes to released microcode, the hardware supports a patching mechanism whereby control flow can be switched between the read-only control memory and a smaller writable control memory. This paper describes the system design considerations that led to the development of the patchable control store, actual implementation of the control store, the effectiveness of the patching scheme, and its impact on system performance.