Logic programming in the context of multiparadigm programming: the Oz experience

Oz is a multiparadigm language that supports logic programming as one of its major paradigms. A multiparadigm language is designed to support different programming paradigms (logic, functional, constraint, object-oriented, sequential, concurrent, etc.) with equal ease. This article has two goals: to give a tutorial of logic programming in Oz and to show how logic programming fits naturally into the wider context of multiparadigm programming. Our experience shows that there are two classes of problems, which we call algorithmic and search problems, for which logic programming can help formulate practical solutions. Algorithmic problems have known efficient algorithms. Search problems do not have known efficient algorithms but can be solved with search. The Oz support for logic programming targets these two problem classes specifically, using the concepts needed for each. This is in contrast to the Prolog approach, which targets both classes with one set of concepts, which results in less than optimal support for each class. To explain the essential difference between algorithmic and search programs, we define the Oz execution model. This model subsumes both concurrent logic programming (committed-choice-style) and search-based logic programming (Prolog-style). Instead of Horn clause syntax, Oz has a simple, fully compositional, higher-order syntax that accommodates the abilities of the language. We conclude with lessons learned from this work, a brief history of Oz, and many entry points into the Oz literature.Comment: 48 pages, to appear in the journal "Theory and Practice of Logic Programming

Programming Language Techniques for Natural Language Applications

It is easy to imagine machines that can communicate in natural language. Constructing such machines is more difficult. The aim of this thesis is to demonstrate how declarative grammar formalisms that distinguish between abstract and concrete syntax make it easier to develop natural language applications. We describe how the type-theorectical grammar formalism Grammatical Framework (GF) can be used as a high-level language for natural language applications. By taking advantage of techniques from the field of programming language implementation, we can use GF grammars to perform portable and efficient parsing and linearization, generate speech recognition language models, implement multimodal fusion and fission, generate support code for abstract syntax transformations, generate dialogue managers, and implement speech translators and web-based syntax-aware editors. By generating application components from a declarative grammar, we can reduce duplicated work, ensure consistency, make it easier to build multilingual systems, improve linguistic quality, enable re-use across system domains, and make systems more portable

Controlled Natural Language Generation from a Multilingual FrameNet-based Grammar

This paper presents a currently bilingual but potentially multilingual FrameNet-based grammar library implemented in Grammatical Framework. The contribution of this paper is two-fold. First, it offers a methodological approach to automatically generate the grammar based on semantico-syntactic valence patterns extracted from FrameNet-annotated corpora. Second, it provides a proof of concept for two use cases illustrating how the acquired multilingual grammar can be exploited in different CNL applications in the domains of arts and tourism

Tagungsband zum 21. Kolloquium Programmiersprachen und Grundlagen der Programmierung

Das 21. Kolloquium Programmiersprachen und Grundlagen der Programmierung (KPS 2021) setzt eine traditionelle Reihe von Arbeitstagungen fort, die 1980 von den Forschungsgruppen der Professoren Friedrich L. Bauer (TU München), Klaus Indermark (RWTH Aachen) und Hans Langmaack(CAU Kiel) ins Leben gerufen wurde.Die Veranstaltung ist ein offenes Forum für alle interessierten deutschsprachigen Wissenschaftlerinnen und Wissenschaftler zum zwanglosen Austausch neuer Ideen und Ergebnisse aus den Forschungsbereichen Entwurf und Implementierung von Programmiersprachen sowie Grundlagen und Methodik des Programmierens. Dieser Tagungsband enthält die wissenschaftlichen Beiträge,die bei dem 21. Kolloquium dieser Tagungsreihe präsentiert wurden, welches vom 27. bis 29. September 2021 in Kiel stattfand und von der Arbeitsgruppe Programmiersprachen und Übersetzerkonstruktion der Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel organisiert wurde

Web Interfaces for Proof Assistants

AbstractThis article describes an architecture for creating responsive web interfaces for proof assistants. The architecture combines current web development technologies with the functionality of local prover interfaces, to create an interface that is available completely within a web browser, but resembles and behaves like a local one. Security, availability and efficiency issues of the proposed solution are described. A prototype implementation of a web interface for the Coq proof assistant [Coq Development Team, “The Coq Proof Assistant Reference Manual Version 8.0,” INRIA-Rocquencourt (2005), URL: http://coq.inria.fr/doc-eng.html] created according to our architecture is presented. Access to the prototype is available on http://hair-dryer.cs.ru.nl:1024/

Tools for Tutoring Theoretical Computer Science Topics

This thesis introduces COMPLEXITY TUTOR, a tutoring system to assist in learning abstract proof-based topics, which has been specifically targeted towards the population of computer science students studying theoretical computer science. Existing literature has shown tremendous educational benefits produced by active learning techniques, student-centered pedagogy, gamification and intelligent tutoring systems. However, previously, there had been almost no research on adapting these ideas to the domain of theoretical computer science. As a population, computer science students receive immediate feedback from compilers and debuggers, but receive no similar level of guidance for theoretical coursework. One hypothesis of this thesis is that immediate feedback while working on theoretical problems would be particularly well-received by students, and this hypothesis has been supported by the feedback of students who used the system. This thesis makes several contributions to the field. It provides assistance for teaching proof construction in theoretical computer science. A second contribution is a framework that can be readily adapted to many other domains with abstract mathematical content. Exercises can be constructed in natural language and instructors with limited programming knowledge can quickly develop new subject material for COMPLEXITY TUTOR. A third contribution is a platform for writing algorithms in Python code that has been integrated into this framework, for constructive proofs in computer science. A fourth contribution is development of an interactive environment that uses a novel graphical puzzle-like platform and gamification ideas to teach proof concepts. The learning curve for students is reduced, in comparison to other systems that use a formal language or complex interface. A multi-semester evaluation of 101 computer science students using COMPLEXITY TUTOR was conducted. An additional 98 students participated in the study as part of control groups. COMPLEXITY TUTOR was used to help students learn the topics of NP-completeness in algorithms classes and prepositional logic proofs in discrete math classes. Since this is the first significant study of using a computerized tutoring system in theoretical computer science, results from the study not only provide evidence to support the suitability of using tutoring systems in theoretical computer science, but also provide insights for future research directions

Task-driven programming pedagogy in the digital humanities

In this chapter, we advocate for a task-driven approach to teaching computer programming to students of the digital humanities (DH). Our perspective is grounded first in Birnbaum's (2014) plenary address to the University of Pittsburgh Faculty Senate (Birnbaum 2014), in which he argued that coding, like writing, should be taught across the liberal arts curriculum in domain-appropriate ways. This position argued that (1) coding is not an esoteric specialization to be taught solely by computer scientists, and that (2) coding might be taught most effectively in the context of different disciplines. Here, we present a method for embedding Digital Humanities education, and more specifically programming pedagogy, within the long-standing traditions of the Humanities and argue that this approach works most effectively when new learners have access to context-specific mentorship. Our second point of reference lies with oral-proficiency-oriented (OP) foreign language pedagogy. Within an OP model, the ability to communicate in a foreign language is a skill, and the primary goal for learners who seek to acquire that skill is not an academic understanding of the grammar of a language, but, instead, the ability to function successfully within realistic contextualized human interactions. Seen from this perspective, computer-programming curricula organized around the features of the programming language might be compared to older grammar-and-translation foreign-language pedagogies. What we advocate instead is that the ability to use a programming language (programming proficiency) is best acquired in the context of performing contextualized, discipline-conscious tasks that are meaningful to humanists, an approach that has parallels to OP language learning

Programmiersprachen und Rechenkonzepte

Seit 1984 veranstaltet die GI-Fachgruppe "Programmiersprachen und Rechenkonzepte" regelmäßig im Frühjahr einen Workshop im Physikzentrum Bad Honnef. Das Treffen dient in erster Linie dem gegenseitigen Kennenlernen, dem Erfahrungsaustausch, der Diskussion und der Vertiefung gegenseitiger Kontakte. In diesem Forum werden Vorträge und Demonstrationen sowohl bereits abgeschlossener als auch noch laufender Arbeiten vorgestellt, unter anderem (aber nicht ausschließlich) zu Themen wie - Sprachen, Sprachparadigmen, - Korrektheit von Entwurf und Implementierung, -Werkzeuge, -Software-/Hardware-Architekturen, -Spezifikation, Entwurf, - Validierung, Verifikation, - Implementierung, Integration, - Sicherheit (Safety und Security), - eingebettete Systeme, - hardware-nahe Programmierung. In diesem Technischen Bericht sind einige der präsentierten Arbeiten zusammen gestellt

Finite domains and exclusions as first-class citizens

Languages based on logical variables can regard finite domains, finite exclusions, and, generally, types as values. Like a variable can be bound to a non-ground structure which can be later specialized through in-place assignment of some inner variables, it can also be bound to, say, a domain structure which can be specialized later through "in-place deletion" of some of its elements (e.g. by intersection with other domain structures). While finite domains prescribe the elements of a disjunctive structure, the complementary finite exclusions forbid the elements of a conjunctive structure. Domains and exclusions can be values of variables or occur inside clauses as/in terms or within an occurrence-binding construct (useful to name arbitrary terms).In a relational-functional language (e.g., RELFUN) they can also be returned as values of functions. Altogether, domains and exclusions become first-class citizens. Because they are completely handled by an extended unification routine, they do not require delay techniques needed in (more expressive) constraint systems. Still, their backtracking-superseding "closed" representation leads to smaller proof trees (efficiency), and abstracted, intensional answers (readability). Anti-unification (for generalization) exchanges the roles of domains and exclusions. The operational semantics of domains, exclusions, and occurrence bindings is specified by a RELFUN meta-unify function (and implemented in pure LISP)