Foundations of Parallel Programming (Cambridge International Series on Parallel Computation, Series Number 6) - Hardcover

Skillicorn, D. B.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0521455111 ISBN 13: 9780521455114

Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 1994

Synopsis

The major reason for the lack of use of parallel computing is the mismatch between the complexity and variety of parallel hardware, and the software development tools to program it. The cost of developing software needs to be amortised over decades, but the platforms on which it executes change every few years, requiring complete rewrites. The evident cost-effectiveness of parallel computation has not been realized because of this mismatch. This book presents an integrated approach to parallel software development by addressing both software and performance issues together. It presents a methodology for software construction that produces architecture-independent and intellectually abstract software. The software can execute efficiently on a range of existing and potential hardware configurations. The approach is based on the construction of categorical data types, a generalization of abstract data types, and of objects. Categorical data types abstract both from the representation of a data type, and also from the detailed control flow necessary to perform operations on it. They thus impose a strong separation between the semantics, on which programs can depend, and the implementation, which is therefore free to hide the parallel machine properties that are used.

About this title

Book Description

This is the first comprehensive account of this new approach to the fundamentals of parallel programming. It presents a methodology for software construction that produces architecture-independent and intellectually abstract software.

Edition details

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Publication date: 1994
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0521455111
• ISBN 13: 9780521455114
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 209