ppxscal/embedding_network huggingface dataset:
Cultural diversity in interface design
Authors: Christine L. Borgman
Venue: ACM SIGCHI Bulletin (1992)

One of many factors contributing to the lack of application of human factors principles to interface design is that designers fail to appreciate the range of population diversity, too often constructing systems on the assumption that their users are much like themselves. Years of research on individual differences in human-computer interaction have shown that user populations are not homogenous in their ability to utilize a given interface, with performance ranges of as much as 30 to 1 in the time to accomplish a given task. We now have methods to study individual differences factors, identifying the tasks most heavily influenced by variations in human ability, and changing the interface design to make it less susceptible to these factors.
Interoperability and object identity
Authors: Frank Eliassen, Randi Karlsen
Venue: ACM SIGMOD Record (1991)

Data model transparency can be achieved by providing a canonical language format for the definition and seamless manipulation of multiple autonomous information bases. In this paper we assume a canonical data and computational model combining the function and object-oriented paradigms. We investigate the concept of identity as a property of an object and the various ways this property is supported in existing databases, in relation to the object-oriented canonical data model. The canonical data model is the tool for combining and integrating preexisting syntactical homogeneous, but semantical heterogeneous data types into generalized unifying data types. We identify requirements for object identity in federated systems, and discuss problems of object identity and semantical object replication arising from this new abstraction level. We argue that a strong notion of identity at the federated level can only be acheived by weakening strict autonomy requirements of the component information bases. Finally we discuss various solutions to this problem that differ in their requirements with repect to giving up autonomy.
Ada task taxonomy support for concurrent programming
Authors: Robert Chi Tau Lai
Venue: ACM SIGSOFT Software Engineering Notes (1991)

The Ada task taxonomy can be used as the main scheme to help programmers to develop concurrent programs. The conventional way of defining a taxonomy for software modules is not based on the interactive behavior of the modules. The behavior of Ada tasks is more dynamic than that of other Ada modules such as procedures, functions and packages. By classifying sets of tasks by their interactive characteristics, functions, and procedural behaviors, a task taxonomy can be formulated. Task taxonomy can be used as an abstraction for software developers to design, store, and retrieve concurrent systems and reusable parts. A set of tools based on characteristics formally representing kinds of tasks can be designed. This set of tools will help programmers define their own task taxonomies for designing, constructing, and maintaining concurrent systems.
Developing an evaluation methodology for spoken language systems
Authors: Madeleine Bates, Sean Boisen, John Makhoul
Venue: Proceedings of the workshop on Speech and Natural Language (1990)

There has been a long-standing methodology for evaluating work in speech recognition (SR), but until recently no community-wide methodology existed for either natural language (NL) researchers or speech understanding (SU) researchers for evaluating the systems they developed.Recently considerable progress has been made by a number of groups involved in the DARPA Spoken Language Systems (SLS) program to agree on a methodology for comparative evaluation of SLS systems, and that methodology is being used in practice for the first time.This paper gives an overview of the process that was followed in creating a meaningful evaluation mechanism, describes the current mechanism, and presents some directions for future development.
Cache write generate for high performance parallel processing
Authors: C. M. Wittenbrink, A. K. Somani, C. H. Chen
Venue: ACM SIGARCH Computer Architecture News (1992)

We present, Generate, a new cache write handling scheme that avoids unnecessary reads from main memory, reduces bus contention, and increases the available bandwidth of the memory. Cache Write Generate increases the amount of CPU execution and memory load/store overlap, and decreases the memory cycle time. We compare the performance of cache write generate with write around and write allocate in single processor and shared bus multiprocessors and demonstrate a speedup of 1.2 to 1.5 over allocate and write around.
A hypertext environment for using mathematical software: part 1&mdash;motivations and design objectives
Authors: John C. Nash
Venue: ACM SIGNUM Newsletter (1990)

Two perennial obstacles to the effective use of software, and especially mathematical software, are its documentation and its user-accessibility. This article surveys some of the ways in which software providers address the issues of documentation and use of their products, and suggests an alternative mechanism for both documentation and access via a hypertext database and command processor. Some considerations relating to program size and complexity and to the security of computer applications are discussed.
Computing prime implicates
Authors: Peter Jackson
Venue: Proceedings of the 1992 ACM annual conference on Communications (1992)

This paper surveys three methods for computing the prime implicates of a set of propositions (ie., minimizing a boolean function) and performs a comparison between them. Data is provided which suggests that methods based on resolution can be as efficient as methods based on matrices and semantic trees. We also discuss the advantages of resolution-based methods for applications in man-machine communication involving abduction (inference to the best explanation) and truth maintenance (belief revision).
A quantitative approach for teaching parallel computing
Authors: E. Luque, R. Suppi, J. Sorribes
Venue: Proceedings of the twenty-third SIGCSE technical symposium on Computer science education (1992)

Parallel computing teaching has an important difficulty, there are few tools to directly learn the behavior of the parallel algorithms and the parallel architectures. Normally the student is formed to think in sequential algorithms running in sequential machines. We present PSEE, a tool to reduce the gap between the basic concepts and its utilization. PSEE is an integrated and interactive graphic environment which allows to simulate and evaluate the performance of parallel algorithms in parallel architectures. PSEE permits to manage the main characteristic parameters involved in the system in order to show the tuning grade of the algorithm/architecture couple. PSEE includes a graphic editor for algorithms and architectures in modelled form, an interactive simulator to run (simulate) the algorithm on the architecture and a performance evaluation instrument.
DoD-Std-2167A and methodologies
Authors: S. P. Overmyer
Venue: ACM SIGSOFT Software Engineering Notes (1990)

Many experts in software engineering agree that the emerging iterative requirements engineering, software engineering and software design methodologies present excellent ways to identify and validate user requirements. These methodologies often include innovative techniques for elicitation and validation of user requirements including various forms of human engineering analysis, rapid prototyping, and knowledge acquisition tasks. This paper addresses the compatibility of these techniques with DoD-Std-2167A. Assessment is made regarding the compatibility of the standard with innovative requirements techniques, and how and where these techniques may be inserted into the life cycle.
Classifying Schematic and Data Heterogeneity in Multidatabase Systems
Authors: Won Kim, Jungyun Seo
Venue: Computer (1991)

A complete framework for enumerating and classifying the types of multidatabase system (MDBS) structural and representational discrepancies is developed. The framework is structured according to a relational database schema and is both practical and complete. It was used to build the UniSQL/M commercial multidatabase system. This MDBS was built over Structured-Query-Language-based relational database systems and a unified relational and object-oriented database system named UniSQL/X. However, the results are substantially applicable to heterogeneous database systems that use a nonrelational data model (for example, an object-oriented data model) as the common data model and allow the formulation of queries directly against the component database schemas.
A concurrent object-oriented framework for the simulation of neural networks
Authors: A. Weitzenfeld, Michael A. Arbib
Venue: ACM SIGPLAN OOPS Messenger (1991)

This paper discusses the issues in simulating neural networks using an object-oriented concurrent programming framework, based on our experience in developing two generations of the NSL (Neural Simulation Language) simulation system. The second generation simulation system, NSL 2.0, was designed and implemented utilizing object-oriented programming concepts. We close with future design and implementation directions.
High-Availability Computer Systems
Authors: Jim Gray, Daniel P. Siewiorek
Venue: Computer (1991)

The techniques used to build highly available computer systems are sketched. Historical background is provided, and terminology is defined. Empirical experience with computer failure is briefly discussed. Device improvements that have greatly increased the reliability of digital electronics are identified. Fault-tolerant design concepts and approaches to fault-tolerant hardware are outlined. The role of repair and maintenance and of design-fault tolerance is discussed. Software repair is considered. The use of pairs of computer systems at separate locations to guard against unscheduled outages due to outside sources (communication or power failures, earthquakes, etc.) is addressed.
Teaching APL to beginners: critical issues
Authors: Howard A. Peelle
Venue: ACM SIGAPL APL Quote Quad (1991)

Critical issues recurrently confront APL instructors: How soon to introduce vectors and higher rank arrays? Which Index Origin to start with? What terminology to use? Whether to furnish idioms? Insist on comments in defined functions? Avoid loosing algorithms? Use direct definition? Mention atrophying features? Compare APL with other programming languages? Include extended APL? Such issues will be discussed, and brief recommendations offered.
Model-based matching and hinting of fonts
Authors: Roger D. Hersch, Claude Betrisey
Venue: ACM SIGGRAPH Computer Graphics (1991)

In today's digital computers, phototypesetters and printers, typographic fonts are mainly given by their outline descriptions. Outline descriptions alone do not provide any information about character parts like stems serifs, shoulders, and bowls. But, in order to produce the best looking characters at a given size on a specific printer, non-linear operations must be applied to parts of the character shape. At low-resolution, grid-fitting of character outlines is required for generating nice and regular raster characters. For this reason, grid-fitting rules called hints are added to the character description. Grid-fitting rules require as parameters certain characteristic points within the shape outlines. In order to be able to detect these characteristic points in any given input font, a topological model representing the essence of the shapes found in typographic latin typefaces is proposed. This model includes sufficient information for matching existing non-fancy outline fonts to the model description. For automatic hint generation, a table of applicable hints is added into the topological model description. After matching a given input shape to the model, hints which can be applied to the shape of the given font are taken and added to its outline description. Furthermore, a structural description of individual letter shape parts using characteristic model points can be added to the model. Such a description provides knowledge about typographic structure elements like stems, serifs and bowls.
Using Tool Abstraction to Compose Systems
Authors: David Garlan, Gail E. Kaiser, David Notkin
Venue: Computer (1992)

The tool abstraction paradigm, which supports the evolution of large-scale software systems by easing design changes in the system functions, is discussed. Systems that support tool abstraction are structured as a pool of abstract data structures shared by a collection of cooperating 'toolies', where each toolie provides a piece of the overall system function. When one toolie updates the shared data, other toolies must be notified: otherwise, cooperating-but-independent toolies may not execute, and the overall system function may be compromised. The KWIC (key word in context) index production system is used to illustrate the idea of tool abstraction. The relationship of tool abstraction to other concepts is examined.
Strongly competitive algorithms for paging with locality of reference
Authors: Sandy Irani, Anna R. Karlin, Steven Phillips
Venue: Proceedings of the third annual ACM-SIAM symposium on Discrete algorithms (1992)

What is the best paging algorithm if one has partial information about the possible sequences of page requests? We give a partial answer to this question, by presenting the analysis of strongly competitive paging algorithms in the access graph model. This model restricts page requests so that they conform to a notion of locality of reference, given by an arbitrary access graph. We first consider optimal algorithms for undirected access graphs. Borodin et al. [2] define an algorithm, called FAR, and proved that it is within a logarithmic factor of the optimal. We prove that FAR is in fact strongly competitive, i.e. within a constant factor of the optimum. For directed access graphs, we present an algorithm that is strongly competitive on all structured program graphs&mdash;graphs modeling the request sequences of structured programs.
KARMA: knowledge acquisition, retention and maintenance analysis
Authors: M. Czerwinski, R. Schumacher, B. Duba
Venue: ACM SIGCHI Bulletin (1991)

KARMA is a quantitative model which can be used to predict a user's acquisition, retention, maintenance, and transfer of system knowledge. In KARMA, three stages over the course of an operator's model (see Schumacher Czerwinski, in press) are characterized: pretheoretic- the understanding of system structure centers on the retrieval of superficially similar instances in memory; experiential - some understanding of causal system relationships emerges, as does some reliance upon structural system information. Also, abstraction begins to occur across different, but similar systems; and expert - at this stage, the user makes abstractions across various system representations stored in memory; full reliance upon structural system knowledge emerges. Currently, a programmed simulation is used to compare our theoretical predictions and assumptions with experimental data. The simulation is running in Scheme (a dialect of LISP).
Embarking on trains of thought: time to expand visual/aural rhetoric
Authors: Candace Soderston
Venue: ACM SIGDOC Asterisk Journal of Computer Documentation (1992)

Stephen A. Bernhardt's article "Seeing the Text" is timely and the principles he discusses for visual presentation apply as well to the newly-developing genre of electronic multimedia presentation. Localizing principles will be useful for chunking information for selective use by a variety of audiences for a variety of purposes. Intertextual cross-referencing and relationships are increasingly enabled in the new media but rhetorical principles for effective presentation of them are not fully developed. The attention of educators in communication skills must expand to the new media in order to develop principles for effective presentation.
Hierarchical Quorum Consensus: A New Algorithm for Managing Replicated Data
Authors: Akhil Kumar
Venue: IEEE Transactions on Computers (1991)

A novel algorithm for managing replicated data is presented. The proposed method is based on organizing the copies of an object into a logical, multilevel hierarchy, and extending the quorum consensus algorithm to such an environment. Several properties of the method are derived and optimality conditions are given for minimizing the quorum size. It is shown that, given a collection of n copies of an object, the method allows a quorum to be formed with n/sup 0.63/ copies versus ((n+1)/2) copies in the case of the majority voting algorithm. Tradeoffs between the proposed method and three other quorum-based methods are discussed, and the main features of each method are highlighted.
Some Properties of Timed Token Medium Access Protocols
Authors: A. Valenzano, P. Montuschi, L. Ciminiera
Venue: IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering (1990)

Timed-token protocols are used to handle, on the same local area network, both real-time and non-real-time traffic. The authors analyze this type of protocol, giving worst-case values for the throughput of non-real-time traffic and the average token rotation time. Results are obtained for synchronous traffic generated according to a generic periodic pattern under heavy conditions for non-real-time traffic and express not only theoretical lower bounds but values deriving from the analysis of some real networks. A model which addresses the asynchronous overrun problem is presented. The influence of introducing multiple priority classes for non-real-time traffic on the total throughput of this type of message is shown. It is also shown that the differences between the values obtained under worst-case assumptions are close to those obtained under best-case assumptions; the method may therefore be used to provide important guidelines inproperly tuning timed-token protocol parameters for each specific network installation.
A parallel implementation of collective learning systems theory: Adaptive Learning Image Analysis System (ALIAS)
Authors: Peter Bock
Venue: Proceedings of the 1990 ACM annual conference on Cooperation (1990)

An alternative to preprogrammed rule-based Artificial Intelligence is a hierarchical network of cellular automata which acquire their knowledge through learning based on a series of trial-and-error interactions with an evaluating Environment, much as humans do. The input to the hierarchical network is provided by a set of sensors which perceive the external world. Based upon this perceived information and past experience (memory), the learning automata synthesize collections of trial responses. Periodically the automata estimate the effectiveness of these collections using either internal evaluations (unsupervised learning) or external evaluations from the Environment (supervised learning), modifying their memories accordingly. Known as Collective Learning Systems Theory, this paradigm has been applied to many sophisticated gaming problems, demonstrating robust learning and dynamic adaptivity. Based on a versatile architecture for massively parallel networks of processors for Collective Learning Systems, a Transputer-based parallel-processing image processing engine comprising 32 learning cells and 32 non-learning cells has been applied to a sophisticated image processing task: the scale-invariant and translation-invariant detection of anomalous features in otherwise &ldquo;normal&rdquo; images. In cooperation with Robert Bosch GmbH, this engine is currently being constructed and tested under the direction of the author at the Research Institute for Applied Knowledge Processing (FAW-Ulm) as Project ALIAS: Adaptive Learning Image Analysis System. Initial results indicate excellent detection, discrimination, and localization of anomalies.
Factors in the performance of the AN1 computer network
Authors: Susan S. Owicki, Anna R. Karlin
Venue: Proceedings of the 1992 ACM SIGMETRICS joint international conference on Measurement and modeling of computer systems (1992)

AN1 (formerly known as Autonet) is a local area network composed of crossbar switches interconnected by 100Mbit/second, full-duplex links. In this paper, we evaluate the performance impact of certain choices in the AN1 design. These include the use of FIFO input buffering in the crossbar switch, the deadlock-avoidance mechanism, cut-through routing, back-pressure for flow control, and multi-path routing. AN1's performance goals were to provide low latency and high bandwidth in a lightly loaded network. In this it is successful. Under heavy load, the most serious impediment to good performance is the use of FIFO input buffers. The deadlock-avoidance technique has an adverse effect on the performance of some topologies, but it seems to be the best alternative, given the goals and constraints of the AN1 design. Cut-through switching performs well relative to store-and-forward switching, even under heavy load. Back-pressure deals adequately with congestion in a lightly-loaded network; under moderate load, performance is acceptable when coupled with end-to-end flow control for bursts. Multi-path routing successfully exploits redundant paths between hosts to improve performance in the face of congestion.
WCL: Delivering efficient Common Lisp applications under Unix
Authors: Wade Hennessey
Venue: Proceedings of the 1992 ACM conference on LISP and functional programming (1992)

Common Lisp implementations for Unix have traditionally provided a rich development environment at the expense of an inefficient delivery environment. The goal of WCL is to allow hundreds of Lisp applications to be realistically available at once, while allowing several of them to run concurrently. WCL accomplishes this by providing Common Lisp as a UNIX shared library that can be linked with Lisp and C code to produce efficient applications. For example, the executable for a Lisp version of the canonical &ldquo;Hello World!&rdquo; program requires only 40k bytes under SunOS 4.1 for SPARC. WCL also supports a full development environment, including dynamic file loading and debugging. A modified version of GDB, the GNU Debugger, is used to debug WCL programs, providing support for mixed language debugging. The techniques used in WCL should also be applicable to other high-level languages that allow runtime mappings from names to objects.
The Department of Defense communications in the 21st century
Authors: L. M. Paoletti
Venue: ACM SIGCOMM Computer Communication Review (1992)

The Department of Defense (DoD) is one of the biggest users of communications in the world. Communications systems are used not only for the administration of the Department, but, most critically, for the command and control of force structures. To this end, the Defense Communications Agency (DCA) strives to ensure that the Department's missions are carried out with state-of-the-art communications systems. In this article an architecture is postulated to achieve the Department's objective of rapid, reliable, secure exchange of information at an affordable price. The goal is one system for all communications services (data, voice, video, imagery) including Office Automation (OA) needs.This article was written with the view toward communications systems which are commonly referred to as fixed systems used on military bases and for long-haul transport of information, rather than tactical communications systems used on mobile platforms such as armored vehicles, ships, and airplanes. However, due to advances in VLSI and flexibilities afforded by new transmission frameworks and switching fabrics, the concepts described in this article could apply to tactical systems as well.The views contained in this article are those of the author and should not be interpreted as necessarily representing the official policies, either expressed or implied, of DCA and DoD.