A Critique of the llc Parallel Language and Some Solutions

llc is an extension of C that has been implemented on the Dado2 machine at Columbia University. In an llc program, a single controlling processor invokes operations in parallel in subsets of a set of attached processors, which themselves can invoke parallel operations in remaining processors. llc allocates one element of a parallel object per physical processor. Removing this restriction allows programs to use parallel vectors of arbitrary size without reference to the number of processors in the machine. A program in the resulting language, mpc, contains a single main process. Each mpc process can create sets of attached processes statically or dynamically by declaring arrays of process type, and can invoke operations in parallel in these processes. mpc retains much of llc's power while adding generality, clarity, and portability

Dado2 llc User's Manual

llc is an ex.tension of C for hierarchically parallel processing on distributed-memory parallel processors. The language has been implemented on Dado2, a massively parallel tree-structured MIMD multicomputer. This manual explains the features of the language as it is implemented on Dado2, its compilation, and execution. The manual complements the Ilc tutorial, the Ilc reference manual, and the llc report

llc Reference Manual

llc is an extension of C for hierarchically parallel processing on distributed-memory parallel processors. In an llc program, a single controlling processor invokes operations in parallel in subsets of a set of attached processors, which themselves can invoke parallel operations in remaining processors. This manual succinctly describes the language syntax and the implementation-independent aspects of its semantics

An Algorithmic Taxonomy of Production System Machines

This paper presents a survey of computer architectures designed to execute production systems. After a brief description of production systems and production system languages, the paper summarizes match algorithms, particularly the Rete algorithm, and outlines suggested parallelizations. Most parallel production system algorithms have as their unit of sequential computation a single production's left-hand side, activations of a single Rete node, a single activation of a Rete node, or a single comparison in a Rete node. The paper discusses a number of proposed production system machine architectures in terms of the parallel and sequential computations performed in the algorithms suggested for each machine. A taxonomy of parallel production system algorithms, describing in detail the distribution and replication of data and computations, concludes the paper

Dado2 llc User's Manual

llc is an ex.tension of C for hierarchically parallel processing on distributed-memory parallel processors. The language has been implemented on Dado2, a massively parallel tree-structured MIMD multicomputer. This manual explains the features of the language as it is implemented on Dado2, its compilation, and execution. The manual complements the Ilc tutorial, the Ilc reference manual, and the llc report

Socially inclusive teaching: belief, design, action as pedagogic work

Like other western nations such as the United States and the United Kingdom, Australia’s record of education outcomes for marginalized groups is troubling, whether the comparisons are made within the nation or with other OECD nations. Although recent Australian Governments have sought to overhaul funding for schools and universities, on their own, more resources for educational institutions are not enough to redress problems of disadvantage and to achieve social justice. Also required is a focus on the pedagogic work (PW) of teachers and, by implication, their teacher educators. Central to this article is the argument that pedagogy is the most strategic place to begin this work because of its location as a central message system in education. In this article we conceive of PW as comprising of belief, design, and action. From these are derived three principles on which to build a socially inclusive pedagogy that creates opportunities for all students, whatever their circumstances, to participate more fully in education. Our focus on advancing a conceptual understanding of socially inclusive pedagogy is informed by a theory and politics of transformation, which seek to engage with the deep structures that generate injustice within schools and teacher education

The Evolution of Distributive Benefits: The Rise of Letter-Marking in the United States Congress

THE RECENT MORATORIUM ON EARMARKS HAS GIVEN RISE TO A NEW AND LARGELY HIDDEN PRACTICE FOR SECURING DISTRIBUTIVE BENEFITS: LETTER-MARKING. LETTER-MARKING OCCURS WHEN MEMBERS OF CONGRESS ASK (IN WRITING) THE HEAD OF AN AGENCY TO RETAIN OR ALLOCATE DISTRIBUTIVE BENEFITS IN THEIR DISTRICTS. WHILE LETTER-MARKING IS COMMON IN WASHINGTON, THE SCHOLARLY LITERATURE HAS IGNORED THIS PRACTICE. WE USE A UNIQUE DATASET OF 101 CONGRESSIONAL LETTERS RELATING TO FAA FUNDING AND EMPIRICALLY ASSESS THE DEGREE TO WHICH THE LETTER-WRITER’S CHARACTERISTICS AND THE LETTER’S CONTENT IMPACT THE LIKELIHOOD OF ACHIEVING THE OBJECTIVES. IN DOING SO, WE OFFER A NUANCED UNDERSTANDING OF LETTER-MARKING

More Rules May Mean Faster Parallel Execution

In this brief paper we report a simple scheme to extract implicit parallelism in the low-level match phase of the parallel execution of production system programs. The essence of the approach is to replicate rules while introducing new constraints within each copy to restrict each individual rule to match a potentially smaller set of data elements. Speed up is achieved by matching each copy of a rule in parallel. Variations of this approach may be applicable to logic-based programming systems, such as PROLOG, executed in a parallel environment. Indeed, sequential implementations of OPS-style production systems based on the RETE match algorithm may enjoy performance advantages as well. This scheme may be implemented by a simple preprocessing stage which requires no modification to the underlying match algorithms

Preface to the special issue on selected papers from the Second International Conference on Semiconductor Photochemistry SP-2

This article gives an overview of the Second International Conference on Semiconductor Photochemistry, SP-2