ppxscal/embedding_network huggingface dataset:
Load balancing in a locally distributed DB system
Authors: Michael J. Carey, Hongjun Lu
Venue: ACM SIGMOD Record (1986)

Most previous work on query optimization in distributed database systems has focused on finding optimal or near-optimal processing plans based solely on static system characteristics, and few researchers have addressed the problem of copy selection when data is replicated. This paper describes a new approach to query processing for locally distributed database systems. Our approach uses load information to select the processing site(s) for a query, dynamically choosing from among those sites that have copies of relations referenced by the query. Query compilation is used to produce a statically-optimized logical plan for the query, and then a dynamic optimization phase converts this logical plan into an executable physical plan at runtime. This paper motivates the separation of static and dynamic optimization, presents algorithms for the various phases of the optimization process, and describes a simulation study that was undertaken to investigate the performance of this approach. Our simulation results indicate that load-balanced query processing can provide improvements in both query response times and overall system throughput as compared to schemes where execution sites are either statistically or randomly selected.
A Solution to a Special Case of the Synchronization Problem
Authors: W. K. Stewart, S. A. Ward
Venue: IEEE Transactions on Computers (1988)

A synchronizer that exhibits an arbitrarily low failure rate and a short propagation delay for the special case of synchronizing a signal that is synchronous with some periodic signal is described.
Graphics goodies #1&mdash;a filling algorithm for arbitrary regions
Authors: Bernd Lind, Tomas Hrycej
Venue: ACM SIGGRAPH Computer Graphics (1987)

A boundary-defined filling algorithm for arbitrary regions and filling patterns is presented. It has the completeness property of Shani's graph-based algorithm, but avoids the necessity of drawing additional "blocking lines" between the cycle-sensitive subregions.
Analysis of a composite performance reliability measure for fault-tolerant systems
Authors: Lorenzo Donatiello, Balakrishna R. Iyer
Venue: Journal of the ACM (JACM) (1987)

Today's concomitant needs for higher computing power and reliability has increased the relevance of multiple-processor fault-tolerant systems. Multiple functional units improve the raw performance (throughput, response time, etc.) of the system, and, as units fail, the system may continue to function albeit with degraded performance. Such systems and other fault-tolerant systems are not adequately characterized by separate performance and reliability measures. A composite measure for the performance and reliability of a fault-tolerant system observed over a finite mission time is analyzed. A Markov chain model is used for system state-space representation, and transient analysis is performed to obtain closed-form solutions for the density and moments of the composite measure. Only failures that cannot be repaired until the end of the mission are modeled. The time spent in a specific system configuration is assumed to be large enough to permit the use of a hierarchical model and static measures to quantify the performance of the system in individual configurations. For a multiple-processor system, where performance measures are usually associated with and aggregated over many jobs, this is tantamount to assuming that the time to process a job is much smaller than the time between failures. An extension of the results to general acyclic Markov chain models is included.
OSI addressing strategies
Authors: K. Jakobs
Venue: ACM SIGCOMM Computer Communication Review (1987)

The paper presents a survey of addressing principles of the OSI/RM. Relevant OSI-specific terms and mechanisms are explained; the addressing capabilities of the seven layers are described.
Integral-C&mdash;a practical environment for C programming
Authors: Graham Ross
Venue: Proceedings of the second ACM SIGSOFT/SIGPLAN software engineering symposium on Practical software development environments (1987)

Integral C1 is an industrial grade integrated programming environment for C programming on an engineering workstation. A single interactive tool replaces a syntax checking editor, a compiler, and a source-level debugger. Its multi-window user interface allows program editing and animated source level debugging, tailored to the needs of a C programmer. The compiler accepts standard C code and reacts to editing changes with function-level incremental compilation. Compilation is done without prompting to maintain the client program in a ready-to-run state. Emitted code is instrumented to catch run-time errors and to permit fine grained debugging. Debugging support code is written in C in a 'workspace', which grants it direct access to a local scope while keeping it separate from the client program.
Japanese APL language system on IBM Multistation 5550
Authors: M. Udo, Y. Akimoto, S. Kaneko, T. Sanuki, M. Alfonseca
Venue: Proceedings of the international conference on APL (1986)

This paper exemplifies the national language support of a programming language by describing the implementation of APL with a language facility for processing Japanese characters: that is, a character set that has &ldquo;wide&rdquo; characters that occupy space of more than one byte. By national language support, in this paper, we mean that users are enabled to use their own national language in the data, as legal character strings of the programming language. We describe the implementation of APL that provides Japanese language support in the above sense on a personal computer called the IBM Multistation 5550. We also discuss the design principle adopted to include a new two-byte character set in APL data objects coexisting with a conventional one-byte APL character set.
Knowledge based control in micro-architecture design
Authors: F. D. Brewer, D. D. Gajski
Venue: Proceedings of the 24th ACM/IEEE Design Automation Conference (1987)

This paper describes the principles and implementation of design-process control in a micro-architecture compiler. The knowledge-base relies on both local and global evaluations to determine strategies to achieve global goals and then implements those strategies by manipulating hardware allocations and search heuristics. A system overview and annotated sample run are presented.
An Empirical Study of Software Metrics
Authors: H. F. Li, W. K. Cheung
Venue: IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering (1987)

Software metrics are computed for the purpose of evaluating certain characteristics of the software developed. A Fortran static source code analyzer, FORTRANAL, was developed to study 31 metrics, including a new hybrid metric introduced in this paper, and applied to a database of 255 programs, all of which were student assignments. Comparisons among these metrics are performed. Their cross-correlation confirms the internal consistency of some of these metrics which belong to the same class. To remedy the incompleteness of most of these metrics, the proposed metric incorporates context sensitivity to structural attributes extracted from a flow graph. It is also concluded that many volume metrics have similar performance while some control metrics surprisingly correlate well with typical volume metrics in the test samples used. A flexible class of hybrid metric can incorporate both volume and control attributes in assessing software complexity.
An Algorithm for Optimal Logic Design Using Multiplexers
Authors: Ajit Pal
Venue: IEEE Transactions on Computers (1986)

A set of characterizing parameters, called ratio parameters, has been used to formulate an efficient algorithm for realizing any given Boolean funetion with a single multiplexer of minimum size. The algorithm is applicable to fuctions of a large number of variables because the conventional logic design tools, e.g., Karnaugh map, decomposition chart, etc., which are unsuitable for higher variables, have not been used. The algorithm is also simple in computation, iterative in nature, and very suitable for machine implementation.
Scheduling arithmetic and load operations in parallel with no spilling
Authors: D. Bernstein, J. M. Jaffe, M. Rodeh
Venue: Proceedings of the 14th ACM SIGACT-SIGPLAN symposium on Principles of programming languages (1987)

We consider a machine model in which load operations can be performed in parallel with arithmetic operations by two separate functional units. For this model, the evaluation of a set of expression trees is discussed. A dynamic programming algorithm to produce an approximate solution is described and analyzed. For binary trees its worse case cost is at most 9.1% worse than the optimal cost.
Organizational power and the information services department: a reexamination
Authors: Carol S. Saunders, Richard W. Scamell
Venue: Communications of the ACM (1986)

In a recent application of the theory of strategic contingencies in three large multinational firms, Lucas found that information services departments were perceived by others as having low levels of power and influence and suggested a variety of reasons for the results. This note continues the application of the theory of strategic contingencies to the information services department by describing a study of intraorganizational power that uses basically the same procedures as the Lucas study and obtains similar results. In an effort to stimulate future power-related research in the information systems area, this note concludes by suggesting several reasons, beyond those given by Lucas, for the levels of power attributed to information services departments.
A review of point five: an analysis and modeling system
Authors: George A. MArcoulides, Laura D. Marcoulides
Venue: ACM SIGSMALL/PC Notes (1987)

Point Five (Pacific Crest Software Inc.) is an analysis and modelling system designed for a wide range of users. In its simplest form, Point Five can be considered a calculator with over 50 built in functions for statistics, matrix algebra, finance, accounting, and a simple graphics package for visually displaying results.
Structuring the knowledge domain of office functions with expert characteristics
Authors: Kees van Slooten
Venue: ACM SIGOIS Bulletin (1987)

Many office functions have problem solving characteristics and use heuristic knowledge. To support these functions, techniques from artificial intelligence can be used to represent knowledge. However, the process of knowledge acquisition in order to define the knowledge is not very structured. Some information analysis methods, used during the development of information systems in general, have the potential to structure the process of knowledge acquisition. However, the information analysis method which is used should have enough possibilities to define the conceptual aspects of the knowledge domain completely. Such an information analysis method has been researched in the course of a case study with positive results.
A database cache for high performance and fast restart in database systems
Authors: Klaus Elhardt, Rudolf Bayer
Venue: ACM Transactions on Database Systems (TODS) (1984)

Performance in database systems is strongly influenced by buffer management and transaction recovery methods. This paper presents the principles of the database cache, which replaces the traditional buffer. In comparison to buffer management, cache management is more carefully coordinated with transaction management, and integrates transaction recovery. High throughput of small- and medium-sized transactions is achieved by fast commit processing and low database traffic. Very fast handling of transaction failures and short restart time after system failure are guaranteed in such an environment. Very long retrieval and update transactions are also supported.
Graphic invention for user interfaces: an experimental course in user-interface design
Authors: Bill Verplank, Scott Kim
Venue: ACM SIGCHI Bulletin (1987)

This Spring quarter at Stanford, we put together an experimental course on user-interface design. We were quite pleased with the results and would like to share some of our ideas and experiences.
Meaningful Special Classes of Ternary Logic Functions-Regular Ternary Logic Functions and Ternary Majority Functions
Authors: Yoshinori Yamamoto, Masao Mukaidono
Venue: IEEE Transactions on Computers (1988)

Special ternary logic functions, namely, regular functions suitable for treating ambiguity and majority functions based on an extended majority principle are considered. The one-to-one correspondence between n-ary monotone regular ternary logic functions and (n+1)-ary monotone Boolean functions is investigated, as well as the one-to-one correspondence between n-ary monotone ternary majority functions and (n+1)-ary monotone binary threshold functions. The ternary majority functions are enumerated.
A hard disk organization scheme for delivering CAI on a novell based PC/MS DOS local area network
Authors: David K. Boeshaar, Keith E. Gatling
Venue: Proceedings of the 15th annual ACM SIGUCCS conference on User Services (1987)

Networked PC laboratories are constantly installing and removing various CAI packages and data sets for individual users as well as courses. A disk organization scheme was developed to help in installation, removal, data collection, and easy student access. A security scheme is included to allow students to collect handouts and submit homework without unauthorized file access or tampering. This organization is combined with a user-friendly menu system to allow novice users access to computers as an educational media (CAI, CMI, CBT) without prior computing skills.
A connectionist approach to conceptual information retrieval
Authors: R. K. Belew
Venue: Proceedings of the 1st international conference on Artificial intelligence and law (1987)

This report proposes that recent advances using low-level connectionist representations offer new possibilities to those interested in free text information retrieval (IR). The AIR system demonstrates that this representation suits the IR domain well, particularly the special problems attending the more sophisticated forms of conceptual retrieval required in legal applications. Also, the natural way in which connectionist representations allow learning means that AIR can avoid the high costs associated with manual indexing while providing comparable results. The paper begins by motivating the importance of legal information retrieval, from the perspectives of both the Law and artificial intelligence (AI). Our approach is then compared to traditional methods for IR, and to more recent work using higher-level symbolic representations from AL After a brief introduction to connectionist representations in general, the AIR system is presented. The paper closes with evidence that this system does, in fact, begin to support the use of those &ldquo;open textured&rdquo; concepts that make the Law both a very difficult and a very illuminating domain for AI research.
Characteristics and functions of software environments: an overview
Authors: R Houghton, D Wallace
Venue: ACM SIGSOFT Software Engineering Notes (1987)

Software engineering environments surround their users with the software tools necessary for systematic development and maintenance of software. This report characterizes software engineering environments by their types, by their relationship to the software life cycle, and by their capabilities, limitations, primary users, and levels of support. This report provides examples of existing software engineering environments that are available commercially or in research laboratories with the features and characteristics they provide.
Editing IDL data structures
Authors: G. Persch
Venue: ACM SIGPLAN Notices (1987)

We describe an editing facility influenced by programming languages and abstract data types which allows to inspect and manipulate arbitrary data structures. Starting from a graph-like data model, the editor has a powerful command language which allows to iterate over subgraphs or subsets of the nodes. The editor has been successfully used for rapid tool construction and user friendly debugging of several large data structures, including the intermediate language DIANA and the project library of our Ada compiler.
Extensions for multi-module records in conventional programming languages
Authors: D. R. Cheriton, M. E. Wolf
Venue: Proceedings of the 14th ACM SIGACT-SIGPLAN symposium on Principles of programming languages (1987)

An extended record facility is described that supports multi-module records by providing: incremental and distributed record type definition, allowing field names of a record to be declared in different modules with different subscopes relative to the root record declaration. field-level declaration of access to records by modules and procedures. specification of record representation in terms of the underlying computer memory. We also describe the uses of records that motivate these extensions as well as the compiler modifications required to implement this extended record facility. From this work, we conclude that the extended record support can be added as a simple, natural extension to existing programming language designs and its implementation entails only modest additions to the compiler and linker with no significant compilation time cost.
A senior design course for computer science
Authors: David Ballew
Venue: ACM SIGCSE Bulletin (1986)

This paper describes a Senior Team Project Design course required of all Computer Science majors at our institution. The course is somewhat unique in that the students are divided into teams, all working on some aspect of the same problem. Thus, there is an emphasis on communication between teams, an emphasis on ensuring that the design of the various subteams interface, and an emphasis on learning to work as part of a group. The team concept described is an attempt to simulate an actual industrial or commercial environment within the structure and safety of the college classroom. To the students' surprise, the goal is not to implement a program (although we do that) but to illustrate the need for clear design techniques, the need for proper testing procedures and, above all, the need for precise communication.
New metaphors for understanding the new machines
Authors: Richard M Chisholm
Venue: Proceedings of the 4th annual international conference on Systems documentation (1986)

Though frequently misunderstood and dismissed as irrelevant ornamentation, metaphors are useful tools for writers in the computer industry. Metaphors are especially useful for presenting information about new technologies because they help readers grasp whole concepts immediately and because they illuminate concepts that are difficult to communicate otherwise. It is important to distinguish this use of metaphors from their use in literature and advertisement. Participants in the workshop will follow procedures for investigating the suitability of several metaphors. They will analyze the power and appropriateness of metaphors currently used in the computer industry by applying seven criteria: Is the metaphor useful? understood? close? illuminating? acceptable? economical? memorable?
An Approximation Algorithm for Diagnostic Test Scheduling in Multicomputer Systems
Authors: Henryk Krawczyk
Venue: IEEE Transactions on Computers (1985)

The problem of diagnostic test scheduling (DTS) is to assign to each edge e of a diagnostic graph G a time interval of length l(e) so that intervals corresponding to edges at any given vertex do not overlap and the overall finishing time is minimum. In this correspondence we show that the DTS problem is NP-complete. Then we present a longest, first sequential scheduling algorithm which runs in worst case time O(dm log n) and uses O(m) space to produce a solution of length less than four times optimal. Then we show that the general performance bound can be strengthened to 3 * OPT(G) for low-degree graphs and to 2 ·OPT(G) in some special cases of binomial diagnostic graphs.
The design of a relational database system with abstract data types for domains
Authors: Sylvia L. Osborn, T. E. Heaven
Venue: ACM Transactions on Database Systems (TODS) (1986)

An extension to the relational model is described in which domains can he arbitrarily defined as abstract data types. Operations on these data types include primitive operations, aggregates, and transformations. It is shown that these operations make the query language complete in the sense of Chandra and Harel. The system has been designed in such a way that new data types and their operations can be defined with a minimal amount of interaction with the database management system.
A problem-oriented inferential database system
Authors: Eliezer L. Lozinskii
Venue: ACM Transactions on Database Systems (TODS) (1986)

Recently developed inferential database systems face some common problems: a very fast growth of search space and difficulties in recognizing inference termination (especially for recursive axioms). These shortcomings stem mainly from the fact that the inference process is usually separated from database operations. A problem-oriented inferential system i8 described which refers to the database prior to query (or subquery) processing, so that the inference from the very beginning is directed by data relevant to the query. A multiprocessor implementation of the system is presented based on a computer network conforming to database relations and axioms. The system provides an efficient indication of query termination, and is complete in the sense that it produces all correct answers to a query in a finite time.
A dynamic and efficient representation of building-block layout
Authors: W.-M. Dai, M. Sato, E. S. Kuh
Venue: Proceedings of the 24th ACM/IEEE Design Automation Conference (1987)

Dynamic layout representation is a key problem in developing a building block layout system. We have unified topological and geometrical representations, and developed efficient methods to update topological information after geometrical operations. The experimental results are very promising. This representation is the key for information flow in BEAR &mdash; a new building block layout system being developed at U. C. Berkeley.
Visual programming, programming by example, and program visualization: a taxonomy
Authors: B. A. Myers
Venue: ACM SIGCHI Bulletin (1986)

There has been a great interest recently in systems that use graphics to aid in the programming, debugging, and understanding of computer programs. The terms &ldquo;Visual Programming&rdquo; and &ldquo;Program Visualization&rdquo; have been applied to these systems. Also, there has been a renewed interest in using examples to help alleviate the complexity of programming. This technique is called &ldquo;Programming by Example.&rdquo; This paper attempts to provide more meaning to these terms by giving precise definitions, and then uses these definitions to classify existing systems into a taxonomy. A number of common unsolved problems with most of these systems are also listed.
The 1985-1986 Taulbee survey
Authors: David Gries
Venue: Communications of the ACM (1987)

The Computing Research Board's latest survey on the production and employment of Ph.D.'s and faculty in computer science and engineering depicts a young, optimistic discipline where supply may not always meet demand.