ppxscal/embedding_network huggingface dataset:
Geometric Modelling Systems for mechanical design and manufacturing
Authors: C. M. Brown, A. A. G. Requicha, H. B. Voelcker
Venue: Proceedings of the 1978 annual conference - Volume 2 (1978)

Software systems for creating, editing, and maintaining geometric representations of solid objects are coming to play an important role in mechanical design and manufacturing. This paper discusses the generic characteristics that such Geometric Modelling Systems should exhibit, and proposes a high-level architecture for an industrially viable system that may be built by safely extending state-of-the-art geometric modelling technology.
Oh the automatic simplification of source-language programs
Authors: Ellen R Clark
Venue: Proceedings of the 1966 21st national conference (1966)

For some time there has been interest in the possibility of processing programs in an attempt to simplify them automatically. Nievergelt1 suggests that most programs can be improved and that some kinds of simplification of a machine-language program might be done better by a computer than by a programmer. It is also true that some kinds of simplification of a source-language program may be done better by a computer than by a programmer. Many source-language programs, especially large ones that have been corrected or modified by several people, contain instances of statement sequences that are logically out of place. It seems feasible that these and other troublesome situations might be detected and improved by a computer program. One of the advantages of such a program is that improvements made at the source-language level cause a permanent improvement in the source program. Another advantage is that the improvements can be made without regard to the machine on which the source program is to run.
The 'community of learning' model for using computers in education
Authors: Thomas A. Dwyer
Venue: Proceedings of the 1976 annual conference (1976)

The application of computers to education is usually based on models derived from traditional school practice, suggesting such strategies as CAI, CMI, and problem-solving. This paper describes a model based on cultural considerations, wherein people, ideas, and advanced technological tools interact to form a 'community of learning'. Some characteristics of this model are described, including a learning strategy based on distinctions between transmittal, experiential, and creative techniques. An extensible view of how new technology can be added to such a setting is presented, and an example of an application of the model (Soloworks) together with illustrations of student work is given. A film of this application will be shown.
Microprogramming
Authors: E. D. Conroy
Venue: Proceedings of the 1961 16th ACM national meeting (1961)

The exact meaning of microprogramming has become ambiguous due to the variety of ways in which the word has been used. After reviewing some of these uses, this paper attempts to clarify the situation by presenting a general definition and discussing its relationship to previous applications. The definition, in terms of intrasystem control echelons, is illustrated by reference to actual hardware, with the IBM 7950 system as a principal example. This large, multi-echelon system utilizes many of the previous microprogramming techniques as well as two new ones which are described, and shows how several different types of microprogramming can be combined in one organization. The paper concludes by considering some implications of the definition and certain effects of microprogramming on system planning.
The &ldquo;most recent&rdquo; error: Its causes and correction
Authors: Clement L. McGowan
Venue: Issue 14 (January 1972) (1972)

The notion of a general block structured programming language and the &ldquo;most recent&rdquo; evaluation strategy for such a language are formalized and their relationship investigated. Sufficient conditions for &ldquo;most recent&rdquo; correctness are obtained.
A Two-list method for synchronization of event driven simulation
Authors: John H. Blackstone,  Jr., Gary L. Hogg, Don T. Phillips
Venue: Proceedings of the 14th annual symposium on Simulation (1981)

The traditional mechanism for maintaining a list of pending events in a discrete event simulation is the simple linked list. However, in large scale simulations this list often becomes cumbersome to maintain since the number of pending events may become quite large. As a result, the execution time required by the simple linked list is often a significant portion of total simulation time. Several articles have been published suggesting improved synchronization procedures. The most efficient procedures reported are the time indexed procedure and the two level procedure. Both methodologies are designed for use in languages such as PASCAL or Pl/l, and as a result neither algorithm translates well into FORTRAN. Further, both procedures require external parameter definition, which is a major handicap to their adoption by a general purpose language. This paper introduces a new synchronization procedure, the two list procedure, which is much faster than simple linked lists for large pending event files. This procedure was designed for implementation in FORTRAN, and properly implemented it is transparent to the user; thus it is ideal for adoption by general purpose simulation languages.
Cybernetic experiments
Authors: Meyer Katzper
Venue: Proceedings of the ACM annual conference (1973)

Cybernetic concepts and design implications can be elucidated by means of computer experiments. A series of programs have been prepared which simulate the operation of typical control devices. The system of interest is first studied under uncontrolled conditions using typical input data for the process under study. The system is then &ldquo;connected&rdquo; to chosen control elements such as feedback transducers, comparitors and controllers. In a biological context homeostatic adjustment is considered as a function of the control parameters. Transient response is noted as processes are switched on and off. Regulatory conditions are determined by the goal state to maintain bounds on fluctuations or give rise to stable oscillatory cycles. Sensitivity analysis is carried out with respect to competing control elements. The role of response lag is clearly demonstrated by simultaneous graphing of related state variables. Only after the response of basic elements is ascertained are they joined in complex configurations. In this manner the behavior of a complex structure is understood in terms of its underlying elements.
The pringle parallel computer
Authors: Alejandro Kapauan, J. Timothy Field, Dennis B. Gannon, Lawrence Snyder
Venue: ACM SIGARCH Computer Architecture News (1984)

The Pringle is a 64 processor MIMD computer with a 64 M (8 bit) instructions per second execution rate. (Copies are running at Purdue and Washington.) The Pringle runs programs written for the Configurable, Highly Parallel (CHiP) Computer. That is, the Pringle executes the 64 separate instruction streams as well as the interconnection (phase) stream that configures the lattice of a 64 processor CHiP computer. But the Pringle is not a CHiP. It gives the illusion of the CHiP machine's conflict-free, point-to-point communication using a 64 Mbit internal polled bus. In addition to describing the design goals and the Pringle architecture, this paper identifies two problems common to novel architecture implementation projects, the &ldquo;wisdom of experience&rdquo; problem and the &ldquo;single instance&rdquo; problem, and expalins how they were addressed for the Pringle.
Scheduling partially ordered tasks with probabilistic execution times
Authors: K. M. Chandy, P. F. Reynolds
Venue: Proceedings of the fifth ACM symposium on Operating systems principles (1975)

The objective of this paper is to relate models of multi-tasking in which task times are known or known to be equal to models in which task times are unknown. We study bounds on completion times and the applicability of optimal deterministic schedules to probabilistic models. Level algorithms are shown to be optimal for forest precedence graphs in which task times are independent and identically distributed exponential or Erlang random variables. A time sharing system simulation shows that multi-tasking could reduce response times and that response time is insensitive to multi-tasking scheduling disciplines.
An adaptive subdivision algorithm and parallel architecture for realistic image synthesis
Authors: Mark Dippé, John Swensen
Venue: ACM SIGGRAPH Computer Graphics (1984)

An algorithm for computing ray traced pictures is presented, which adaptively subdivides scenes into S subregions, each with roughly uniform load. It can yield speedups of O(S2/3) over the standard algorithm. This algorithm can be mapped onto a parallel architecture consisting of a three dimensional array of computers which operate autonomously. The algorithm and architecture are well matched, so that communication overhead is small with respect to the computation, for sufficiently complex scenes. This allows close to linear improvements in performance, even with thousands of computers, in addition to the improvement due to subdivision. The algorithm and architecture provide mechanisms to gracefully degrade in response to excessive load. The architecture also tolerates failures of computers without errors in the computation.
Optical printing in computer animation
Authors: Nelson Max, John Blunden
Venue: ACM SIGGRAPH Computer Graphics (1980)

The optical printer can be considered as an optical analog computer, which can perform geometric transformations and simple arithmetic operations on pictures very efficiently. The principles of operation of the printer are explained, and many of its applications to computer animation are listed and discussed briefly. Two techniques are discussed in detail: the use of high contrast masks to suppress the bright spots where two lines of different colors cross, and the use of continuous tone masks and multiple exposures to create realistic transparency at low cost.
Programmer attitudes and reactions towards programming productivity techniques
Authors: Edward Yourdon
Venue: Proceedings of the thirteenth annual SIGCPR conference (1975)

Our purpose in this paper is to describe &ldquo;typical&rdquo; programmer reactions to various elements of PPT. We do this from the vantage point of having conducted well over 100 training seminars around the world, in which approximately 1500 programmers and analysts were exposed to structured programming, structured design, the chief programmer team concept, and so forth. It is our strong belief that if management can anticipate their staff's reaction to these new techniques, they should be able to alter their &ldquo;selling&rdquo; technique so that PPT will be presented in the most favorable possible manner: without doing this, there is a good chance that PPT will ultimately fail in the organization, and die a slow death of atrophy.
EP-2, A prototype Exemplary Programming system
Authors: W. S. Faught, D. A. Waterman, P. Klahr, S. J. Rosenschein, D. M. Gorlin, S. J. Tepper
Venue: Proceedings of the 1979 annual conference (1979)

This report describes the design and implementation of the Exemplary Programming (EP) system that allows software to be created by example. The EP paradigm is as follows: The user performs some interactive task on a computer. The EP system watches over the user's shoulder, recording the interaction between the user and the system he is using. When the task is done, EP constructs an algorithm or high-level model of the interaction. Part of this construction may involve questions to the user or advice from the user. EP then constructs a program (agent) from the model and stores it in a library for subsequent use. A critique and suggestions for the next version of the EP system are included.
On finding most optimal rectangular package plans
Authors: Klim Maling, Steven H. Mueller, William R. Heller
Venue: Proceedings of the 19th Design Automation Conference (1982)

The layout problem requires a combination of space costs and communication costs to be minimized. The special problem of planar, rectangular spaces occurs, for example, in floor plans for electronic planar packages and for buildings. Here we describe a number of algorithms, embedded in an interactive system, that solve the layout problem efficiently when it is expressed in terms of the package planning algorithm. A hierarchical approach is used to contain computational growth.
Software acceptance testing that goes beyond the book
Authors: K. A. Martin
Venue: Proceedings of the software quality assurance workshop on Functional and performance issues (1978)

The design of software acceptance tests is as important to meeting contract goals as is the design of algorithms. This statement is particularly significant on fixed price contracts with tight schedules. An extreme instance of the demand placed on acceptance testing can be found in software projects wherein the only rigorous testing that required the Computer Program Configuration Item (CPCI) to exercise its repertoire of load and store instructions was the Formal Qualification Test (FQT). This paper is about such a project, the lessons learned from it, and provides an effective test approach for fixed price contracts. A word or two about the project is appropriate to establish the context that underscores the impact of the above assertion. Initially 30K (core words), 16-bit program instructions were to be developed within one year using a Varian 73 computer with 32K words of memory for a Command and Control application under a fixed price contract. A set of a priori conditions existed that tended to convey the impression that the inherent risks of this endeavor were reasonable. They were the &ldquo;facts&rdquo; that: Of the 30K (core words) to be written, 30% of this code already existed and would be used. Contractor standards would be allowed for documentation with limited use of Military Specifications No formal Design Reviews or audits would accompany the deliverable CPCI. Existent executive software would suffice. A competent and enthusiastic team was committed to the effort.
Plowing: Interactive stretching and compaction in magic
Authors: Walter S. Scott, John K. Ousterhout
Venue: Proceedings of the 21st Design Automation Conference (1984)

The Magic layout editor provides a new operation called plowing, for stretching and compacting Manhattan VLSI layouts. Plowing works directly on the mask-level representation of a layout, allowing portions of it to be rearranged while preserving connectivity and layout-rule correctness. The layout and connectivity rules are read from a file, so plowing is technology independent. Plowing is fast enough to be used interactively. This paper presents the plowing operation and the algorithm used to implement it.
A hardware monitor study of a CDC KRONOS system
Authors: David S. Lindsay
Venue: Proceedings of the 1976 ACM SIGMETRICS conference on Computer performance modeling measurement and evaluation (1976)

This study was performed on a CDC-6600 computer having 500K of Extended Core Storage (ECS), twenty Peripheral Processor Units (PPU's) and twenty-four I/O channels, as shown in Figure I-1. The CPU can load, store, and execute from the 131K of 1 microsecond storage which comprises CM. It can also access ECS, but this access is limited to transferring blocks of data between CM and ECS at the rate of ten 60-bit words per microsecond. The CPU cannot access peripheral devices in any manner whatever. The KRONOS operating system supports both batch and time-sharing users. As many user programs as will fit in CM may be loaded at any one time, with the CPU time-sliced among them. Swapping (called rollin and rollout under KRONOS) is performed to ECS with overflow to disk. A serious drawback of the CDC supplied system is that ECS rollouts are performed through a PPU and the Distributed Data Path (DDP), which is one hundred times slower than the CM/ECS direct transfer available to the CPU.
MIDAS: A MID-level language for microprocessors
Authors: Victor S. Foster
Venue: Proceedings of the 1978 annual conference - Volume 2 (1978)

The language MIDAS (MID-level ASsembly) has been developed to combine the efficiency of assembly languages with the structure and readability of high-level languages. MIDAS allows use of the full register set, flag set, and input/output and interrupt facilities of a target microprocessor, yet retains a basic structure similar to those of PASCAL and MODULA. This ability to access the full capabilities of a processor implies that MIDAS must be adapted to the particular microprocessor. Each adaptation takes the form of a dialect wherein the basic MIDAS framework is extended with &ldquo;local procedures&rdquo; and assignments. One such dialect, MIDAS/8080, developed for the 8080 microprocessor and implemented as a cross-translator on a CDC CYBER 172 computer, is described here. A proposal for MIDAS/6800 leads to the definition of a general framework for MIDAS. Finally, some recommendations for further work are presented.
Scheduling independent tasks to reduce mean finishing-time (extended abstract)
Authors: J. Eruno, E. G. Coffman,  Jr., R. Sethi
Venue: ACM SIGOPS Operating Systems Review (1973)

In this paper we study the problem of scheduling a set of independent tasks on m &ge; 1 processors to minimize the mean finishing-time (mean time in system). The importance of the mean finishing-time criterion is that its minimization tends to reduce the mean number of unfinished tasks in the system. In the paper we give a reduction of our scheduling problem to a transportation problem and thereby extend the class of known non enumerative scheduling algorithms [1]. Next we show that the inclusion of weights (weighted mean finishing-time) complicates the problem and speculate that there may be no non enumerative algorithm for this case. For the special case of identical processors we study the maximum finishing-time properties of schedules which are optimal with respect to mean finishing-time. Finally we give a scheduling algorithm having desirable properties with respect to both maximum finishing-time and mean finishing-time.
Human factors of telephone-mediated interactive electronic games
Authors: Robert B. Allen, Steven J. Breckler
Venue: Proceedings of the 1983 ACM SIGSMALL symposium on Personal and small computers (1983)

Three experiments explore performance and preference when multi-person electronic games are connected in a telephone network. The first experiment examines the effect of delay in one-player games. The second experiment examines both delay and type of voice channel in a two-player game. The third experiment compares voice channels to no voice channel. Overall, the data suggest that moderate interaction delay is preferred to no delay, presumably because moderate delay makes the game more challenging. In addition, voice channels are preferred to no voice channel, but the type of voice channel may depend on the game and players.
A Peer Review experience
Authors: M. Lloyd Edwards
Venue: Proceedings of the 9th annual ACM SIGUCCS conference on User services (1981)

The following statements are taken from a brochure prepared by the ACM SIGUCC Peer Review Committee to acquaint University Computer Centers with Peer Review. Peer Review is a review of policies, procedures, and services provided in a specific college or university computing center. The goal of a Peer Review is to determine the strengths and weaknesses of an installation. The SIGUCC Peer Review Committee maintains a list of valid peer reviewers, people actively involved in the delivery of computer services within an academic environment. Working in cooperation with the host computing center (the center requesting the review) peer reviewers acting as a group; study documents prepared by the host center, interview appropriate individuals at the center, and observe all facets of the operation. Based on the information provided, the interviews, and the observations, the group prepares a report and gives it to the director.
Statistical semantics: How can a computer use what people name things to guess what things people mean when they name things?
Authors: George W. Furnas, Louis M. Gomez, Thomas K. Landauer, Susan T. Dumais
Venue: Proceedings of the 1982 conference on Human factors in computing systems (1982)

The descriptors or categories assigned to entries in an information system form the basis of most retrieval mechanisms (e.g., menu or key word). These descriptors are the primary means of communication between system designers and end users. In this paper we analyze some of the factors which influence this communication link. Our goal is to uncover some psychological principles that will help us to understand naming and describing behavior and thus improve the communication between designers and users. In traditional communication (e.g., conversation) the communicator can accommodate to different listeners, both by shifting perspective and by attending to explicit feedback from the listener. In describing items in a data base, however, system designers are at a disadvantage in that they do not usually get explicit, immediate, and continuous feedback from users. Knowing how people describe common objects and shift their descriptions for audiences of different levels of sophistication may help designers build systems whose information is accessible to the widest possible audience.
Computer generated narrative description
Authors: Joseph E. Murphy,  Jr.
Venue: Proceedings of the 1975 annual conference (1975)

An important part of human discourse is the use of language to describe phenomena, the non interactive construction of sentences to convey to others meaningful statements about the external world. Those sentences are conditioned partly by the language itself, partly by the phenomena which is being described. It is fully possible that part of these descriptive activities, the construction of sentences to picture observable phenomena, could be performed by machine. This paper discusses a general program which composes narrative descriptions of the financial results of individual corporations. The descriptions are designed to be fully reflective of the data, accurate, comparable to descriptions prepared by financial writers, stylistically varied and grammatically correct. Since the form of reporting corporate financial data is uniform and the data for all major firms available on tape, the program has general applicability. The paper describes the general process of financial description, the concepts used in replicating of this process by a computer program and the major elements used in the design of the program.
Efficient approximation for models of multiprogramming with shared domains
Authors: Alexandre Brandwajn, William M. McCormack
Venue: ACM SIGMETRICS Performance Evaluation Review (1984)

Queueing network models of multiprogramming systems with memory constraints and multiple classes of jobs are important in representing large commercial computer systems. Typically, an exact analytical solution of such models is unavailable, and, given the size of their state space, the solution of models of this type is approached through simulation and/or approximation techniques. Recently, a computationally efficient iterative technique has been proposed by Brandwajn, Lazowska and Zahorjan for models of systems in which each job is subject to a separate memory constraint, i.e., has its own memory domain. In some important applications, it is not unusual, however, to have several jobs of different classes share a single memory &ldquo;domain&rdquo; (e.g., IBM's Information Management System). We present a simple approximate solution to the shared domain problem. The approach is inspired by the recently proposed technique which is complemented by a few approximations to preserve the conceptual simplicity and computational efficiency of this technique. The accuracy of the results is generally in fair agreement with simulation.