ppxscal/embedding_network huggingface dataset:
Augmented state-transition diagrams for reactive software
Authors: C. S. Hendricksen
Venue: ACM SIGSOFT Software Engineering Notes (1989)

The state transition diagram (STD) was invented in the '50's at Bell Laboratories to solve process control problems related to switching of telephone calls. This graphic technique, while extraordinarily descriptive and mathematically rigorous, was very expensive to maintain manually. The technique fell into disuse when tabular techniques were developed and taught to the new generation of electrical engineers. When modern interactive graphics are applied to the technique, and when the basic model is augmented with a simple graphic notation which allows both event processing and logical branching on system conditions, the augmented state transition diagram becomes a powerful CASE tool which is useful across most of the software life cycle.
CLASSIC: a structural data model for objects
Authors: Alexander Borgida, Ronald J. Brachman, Deborah L. McGuinness, Lori Alperin Resnick
Venue: Proceedings of the 1989 ACM SIGMOD international conference on Management of data (1989)

CLASSIC is a data model that encourages the description of objects not only in terms of their relations to other known objects, but in terms of a level of intensional structure as well. The CLASSIC language of structured descriptions permits i) partial descriptions of individuals, under an 'open world' assumption, ii) answers to queries either as extensional lists of values or as descriptions that necessarily hold of all possible answers, and iii) an easily extensible schema, which can be accessed uniformly with the data. One of the strengths of the approach is that the same language plays multiple roles in the processes of defining and populating the DB, as well as querying and answering. CLASSIC (for which we have a prototype main-memory implementation) can actively discover new information about objects from several sources: it can recognize new classes under which an object falls based on a description of the object, it can propagate some deductive consequences of DB updates, it has simple procedural recognizers, and it supports a limited form of forward-chaining rules to derive new conclusions about known objects. The kind of language of descriptions and queries presented here provides a new arena for the search for languages that are more expressive than conventional DBMS languages, but for which query processing is still tractable. This space of languages differs from the subsets of predicate calculus hitherto explored by deductive databases.
An interactive source commenter for Prolog programs
Authors: David Roach, Hal Berghel, John R. Talburt
Venue: ACM SIGDOC Asterisk Journal of Computer Documentation (1990)

Prolog meta-circular interpreters, i.e., interpreters for Prolog written in Prolog, perform at least two operations on an object program - they parse it and execute its instructions. There is a useful variant of the meta-circular interpreter, the meta-circular parser, which as its name suggests, parses an object program without executing its instructions. The value of such a parser is that it provides an elegant means to modify Prolog source code. As the object program is parsed, new information in the form of additional instructions, comments, etc., can be selectively inserted. The Prolog source code commenter we describe is a meta-circular parser with facilities added to allow a user to interactively enter comments. As a Prolog program is parsed into its basic components, the user is allowed to view that component and enter an appropriate comment. The result is a new fully commented (and formatted) source program.
Sentence first, verdict afterward: finding the prerequisites for good computer documentation
Authors: A. Oram
Venue: Proceedings of the 7th annual international conference on Systems documentation (1989)

Computer documentation reflects the underlying structures and relationships within computer systems. Therefore, successful documentation depends on understanding and interpreting these structures and relationships, not on superficial improvements in writing style, format, presentation philosophy, or technical medium. This paper proposes that the research and writing of documentation be driven by the structure of the software. The paper identifies tasks to be performed on the design side of the software, and on the documentation side. The most formal and technical part of this paper covers the responsibilities of the engineers, and provides writers with a proposal they can present to their reviewers. This section lists the basic categories of features that engineers must cover (flags, counters, identifiers, table entries, and raw data), as well as what to document for each feature. It is the engineers' responsibility to provide a context for each feature on the system, showing how it would be used in real life. Based on this feature-by-feature information, writers must build examples and procedures of gradually increasing complexity. The resulting documents contain immediately applicable information, and are easy to verify and review.
Edge Detection and Linear Feature Extraction Using a 2-D Random Field Model
Authors: Y. T. Zhou, V. Venkateswar, R. Chellappa
Venue: IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence (1989)

The edge-detection problem is posed as one of detecting step discontinuities in the observed correlated image, using directional derivatives estimated with a random field model. Specifically, the method consists of representing the pixels in a local window by a 2-D causal autoregressive (AR) model, whose parameters are adaptively estimated using a recursive least-squares algorithm. The directional derivatives are functions of parameter estimates. An edge is detected if the second derivative in the direction of the estimated maximum gradient is negatively sloped and the first directional derivative and a local estimate of variance satisfy some conditions. Because the ordered edge detector may not detect edges of all orientations well, the image scanned in four different directions, and the union of the four edge images is taken as the final output. The performance of the edge detector is illustrated using synthetic and real images. Comparisons to other edge detectors are given. A linear feature extractor that operates on the edges produced by the AR model is presented.
Resolution proof systems with weak transformation rules
Authors: Z. Stachniak
Venue: Proceedings of the international symposium on Symbolic and algebraic computation (1990)

In the previous papers [7-10] we defined and explored a formal methodological framework on the basis of which resolution proof systems for strongly-finite logics can be introduced and studied. In the present paper we extend this approach to a wider class of the so-called resolution logics.
On Computing Signal Probability and Detection Probability of Stuck-At Faults
Authors: Sreejit Chakravarty, H. B. Hunt
Venue: IEEE Transactions on Computers (1990)

Algorithms for the following two problems are presented: (1) computing detection probability of stuck-at faults (CDP), and (2) computing signal probability (CSP). These problems arise in the context of random testing, pseudorandom testing, and testability analysis of combinational circuits. The algorithm for CDP combines the notion of supergates and a refinement of th algorithm for CDP presented in the work of S. Chakravarty and H.B. Hunt, III (1986). The algorithm for CDP can be used to compute the exact value of detection probability of multiple stuck-at faults in circuits with multiple outputs. Single-input, single-output pseudo gates are inserted to model stuck-at faults and derive an equivalent single-output circuit. CDP is thus reduced to the problem of computing the probability distribution of the output over the set of four logic values (0, 1d, d). The algorithm for CDP uses an efficient enumeration algorithm. The authors show how the enumeration algorithm can be used to refine the algorithm for CSP.
Intensional concepts in an object database model
Authors: David Beech
Venue: Conference proceedings on Object-oriented programming systems, languages and applications (1988)

There is a requirement for a stronger treatment of intentional concepts and more general inferential ability within database systems. A framework for achieving this will be described in terms of extensions to an object data model. The type Concept is introduced into the model as a subtype of Action. Intentional concepts may then be defined as filters or generators, depending on the nature of the defining formula. In either case, the dual action should be available&mdash;provided automatically by the system or explicitly by the user. Finally, sets and types are treated as special cases of extensional concepts, leading to a novel structure of the hierarchy of system types.
Dynamic Instruction Scheduling and the Astronautics ZS-1
Authors: James E. Smith
Venue: Computer (1989)

An overview of and survey solutions to the problem of instruction scheduling for pipelined computers are provided. The author demonstrated that dynamic instruction scheduling can provide performance improvements not possible with static scheduling alone. He describes a high-performance computer, the Astronautics ZS-1, which uses novel methods for implementing dynamic scheduling and which can outperform computers using similar-speed technologies that rely solely on state-of-the-art static scheduling techniques.
Function minimization and automatic differentiation using C++
Authors: M. E. Jerrell
Venue: Conference proceedings on Object-oriented programming systems, languages and applications (1989)

Function minimization techniques often require values for the first partial derivatives of the function at a point. Certain techniques, such as Newton's method, require the values of the second partial derivatives as well. The methods commonly used to obtain these values have certain drawbacks which can be eliminated using a technique known as automatic differentiation. When this technique is implemented in an object oriented language with operator overloading capabilities, the problem of differentiation and minimization can be mapped into a code which fits well with the problem space.
Fault Tolerance in Commercial Computers
Authors: Daniel P. Siewiorek
Venue: Computer (1990)

A taxonomy of fault tolerance in commercial computers is set forth. It is organized around three orthogonal axes: the sources of errors the computer tolerates, the computer's approach to tolerating errors, and the computer's structure. Each of these is briefly discussed. An example of each class in the taxonomy is presented, as well as its approach to answering the following questions: (1) Is the system to be highly reliable or highly available? (2) Do all outputs have to be correct, or only data committed to long-term storage? (3) How familiar must the user be with the architecture and software redundancy? (4) Is the system dedicated so that attributes of the application can be used to simplify fault tolerance techniques? (5) Is the system constrained to use existing components? (6) Even if the design is new, what cost and/or performance penalty does it impose on the user who does not require fault tolerance? (7) Is the system stand-alone, or can other processors be called upon to assist in times of failure? The computers covered are the VAX 8600 and IBM 3090 uniprocessors, the Tandem, Stratus, and VAXft 3000 multicomputers, and the Teradata and Sequoia multiprocessors.
Scope and access classes in APL
Authors: M. Rys
Venue: ACM SIGAPL APL Quote Quad (1987)

This paper proposes and discusses some enhancements to the current treatment of the scope of APL objects (i.e., functions, variables) and introduces a scheme of access classes for variables within APL functions.
Image Computations on Meshes with Multiple Broadcast
Authors: V. K. Prasanna-Kumar, D. I. Reisis
Venue: IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence (1989)

The authors consider a mesh-connected processor array with broadcast, in which the processors in each row and in each column can access a shared bus. This computation model is an abstraction of commercially available parallel machines such as the distributed array processor (DAP). The authors show efficient data movement using the buses, which leads to significantly faster solution times for several image problems compared to those on an ordinary mesh-connected array. For several problems, the time performance is comparable to that on the pyramid of corresponding size. Alternate parallel organizations with broadcast feature are also shown. Utilizing the broadcast feature on the arrays can lead to significant improvement of the time performance of many image computations.
Using reduce in supersymmetry
Authors: Renato P. Dos Santos
Venue: Journal of Symbolic Computation (1989)

We describe a procedure which allows one to do Supersymmetry calculus in REDUCE in a quite trivial way.
Parallel MIMD programming for global models of atmospheric flow
Authors: R. Jakob, J. J. Hack
Venue: Proceedings of the 1989 ACM/IEEE conference on Supercomputing (1989)

Modeling atmospheric flow is one application of supercomputers. In this paper we present some concepts for implementing global flow algorithms on shared memory multiprocessors. We describe how an analysis of the algorithms combined with the appropriate parallel programming language support allows an efficient and computationally correct implementation, which minimizes the synchronization difficulties. Some performance measurements on the Encore multiprocessor serve to support this assertion.
Virtual classes: a powerful mechanism in object-oriented programming
Authors: O. L. Madsen, B. Moller-Pedersen
Venue: Conference proceedings on Object-oriented programming systems, languages and applications (1989)

The notions of class, subclass and virtual procedure are fairly well understood and recognized as some of the key concepts in object-oriented programming. The possibility of modifying a virtual procedure in a subclass is a powerful technique for specializing the general properties of the superclass. In most object-oriented languages, the attributes of an object may be references to objects and (virtual) procedures. In Simula and BETA it is also possible to have class attributes. The power of class attributes has not yet been widely recognized. In BETA a class may also have virtual class attributes. This makes it possible to defer part of the specification of a class attribute to a subclass. In this sense virtual classes are analogous to virtual procedures. Virtual classes are mainly interesting within strongly typed languages where they provide a mechanism for defining general parameterized classes such as set, vector and list. In this sense they provide an alternative to generics. Although the notion of virtual class originates from BETA, it is presented as a general language mechanism.
An analysis of Memnet&mdash;an experiment in high-speed shared-memory local networking
Authors: G. Delp, A. Sethi, D. Farber
Venue: Symposium proceedings on Communications architectures and protocols (1988)

Memnet is a shared-memory local area network under development at the University of Delaware that provides close coupling to the processors of a physically distributed multiprocessor system. The Memnet local network appears as memory in the physical address space of each processor (host) on the network. This paper describes an analysis of the Memnet system performed to predict the possible performance levels attainable by a Memnet system. One objective of this analysis is to provide analytic results demonstrating the intrinsic soundness of the Memnet architecture. This is in support of the intuitive arguments of the shared-memory network model over the I/O modeled local network schemes. Another function of this analysis has been to provide design feedback for the choice of values for parameters such as page size. The analysis results indicate that the Memnet approach to networking should significantly speed communication compared to alternative networking schemes. Due to space limitations, the details of the analysis have not been included. The full text is available as TR-88-6-1 from: Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark DE, 19716.
Hail storm: a model for determining the survivability of fixed-wing aircraft against small arms
Authors: J. M. Grover
Venue: Proceedings of the 21st conference on Winter simulation (1989)

In the past large caliber anti-aircraft guns were the only AAA considered important enough to model, but with the new focus on low-intensity conflict, small arms as air defense has risen in prominence. Hail Storm is the most resent attempt at modeling the survivability of aircraft against small arms. The model is a one-on-one deterministic duel of a small arms weapon and an aircraft. The results of the model supplies a probability of survival given an encounter and the expected number of hits.
Linear structure in information retrieval
Authors: S. K.M. Wong, Y. Y. Yao
Venue: Proceedings of the 11th annual international ACM SIGIR conference on Research and development in information retrieval (1988)

Based on the concept of user preference, we investigate the linear structure in information retrieval. We also discuss a practical procedure to determine the linear decision function and present an analysis of term weighting. Our experimental results seem to demonstrate that our model provides a useful framework for the design of an adaptive system.
The Reactive Keyboard: A Predictive Typing Aid
Authors: John J. Darragh, Ian H. Witten, Mark L. James
Venue: Computer (1990)

The Reactive Keyboard, a device that accelerates typewritten communication with a computer system by predicting what the user is going to type next is described. The version described is designed for entering free text and runs on any Apple Macintosh computer with at least 1 MB of memory (though 2 MB is preferred). It makes full use of the Macintosh mouse-and-window environment to give users convenient control over display and acceptance of predictions, and it requires no physical keyboard. The interface increases the speed and ease of communicating with a computer, especially for physically disabled people.
Optimal Estimation of Contour Properties by Cross-Validated Regularization
Authors: Behzad Shahraray David J. Anderson
Venue: IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence (1989)

The problem of estimating the properties of smooth, continuous contours from discrete, noisy samples is used as vehicle to demonstrate the robustness of cross-validated regularization applied to a vision problem. A method for estimation of contour properties based on smoothing spline approximations is presented. Generalized cross-validation is to devise an automatic algorithm for finding the optimal value of the smoothing (regularization) parameter from the data. The cross-validated smoothing splines are then used to obtain optimal estimates of the derivatives of quantized contours. Experimental results are presented which demonstrate the robustness of the method applied to the estimation of curvature of quantized contours under variable scale, rotation, and partial occlusion. These results suggest the application of generalized cross-validation to other computer-vision algorithms involving regularization.
Europe 1992: fraternity or fortress?
Authors: Gerrit Jeelof
Venue: Communications of the ACM (1990)

The following 1989 William K. McInally Memorial lecture was presented at the University of Michigan by Gerrit Jeelof, a champion of the movement toward European enconomic unity. He discusses the upcoming European integration and its implications for world trade.
Human interface with logging operation optimization programs
Authors: W. E. McCoy, C. Cheng, M. Hadiwinata, M. Kusuma
Venue: ACM SIGCHI Bulletin (1989)

This paper presents a case study involving the comparison of two programs which were designed for use in the logging industry. Of particular interest in this comparison are the human factors problems likely to arise during field use of such programs. This paper discusses the need for application of consistent sets of human factors design principles. A specific major conclusion related to the field use of these programs is that it is advisable to provide effective redundancy techniques against catastrophic loss of data in an environment where the user has multiple taks to perform. This paper also discusses the consequences of "good" as well as "poor" examples of menu design, display design, data entry error checking, and handling of erroneous keystroke and keystroke sequences.
Understanding and Controlling Software Costs
Authors: B. W. Boehm, P. N. Papaccio
Venue: IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering (1988)

A discussion is presented of the two primary ways of understanding software costs. The black-box or influence-function approach provides useful experimental and observational insights on the relative software productivity and quality leverage of various management, technical, environmental, and personnel options. The glass-box or cost distribution approach helps identify strategies for integrated software productivity and quality improvement programs using such structures as the value chain and the software productivity opportunity tree. The individual strategies for improving software productivity are identified. Issues related to software costs and controlling them are examined and discussed. It is pointed out that a good framework of techniques exists for controlling software budgets, schedules, and work completed, but that a great deal of further progress is needed to provide an overall set of planning and control techniques covering software product qualities and end-user system objectives.
Using silicon and gallium arsenide technologies for new supercomputer design
Authors: S. Nelson
Venue: Proceedings of the 2nd international conference on Supercomputing (1988)

A comparison is made between emerging high performance silicon and gallium arsenide technologies for the design and manufacture of the next supercomputers. Material, device, circuit, packaging, and manufacturing issues make comparisons complex and competing design methodologies will continue.
The tourist artificial reality
Authors: K. Fairchild, G. Meredith, A. Wexelblat
Venue: ACM SIGCHI Bulletin (1989)

This paper describes a prototype system designed to meet the needs of the next generation of user interfaces. We address research questions of information complexity, multiple shared semantically-oriented views, and customizable tool environments. Our domain of interest is software systems that require interfaces for teams of people to large bodies of design artifacts. This prototype is built around the metaphor of tourists and tour guides.