Software transactional memory should not be obstruction-free

Abstract. Much previous work on Software Transactional Memory has gone to great lengths to be “obstruction-free ” — meaning that a transaction is guaranteed to make progress when all other transactions are suspended. In this paper we argue that obstruction-freedom is not an important property for software transactional memory, and demonstrate that, if we are prepared to drop the goal of obstruction-freedom, software transactional memory can be made significantly faster.

Adaptive evaluation of non-strict programs

This dissertation is not substantially the same as any I have submitted for a degree or diploma or any other qualification at any other university. Further, no part of the dissertation has already been or is being currently submitted for any such degree, diploma or other qualification. This dissertation does not exceed 60,000 words. This total includes tables and footnotes, but excludes appendices, bibliography, and diagrams. Material from Chapters 2, 3 and 4 has been presented in a paper I co-authored with my supervisor [EP03b]. Chapter 5 is largely the same as a paper that I co-authored with my super-visor and with Alan Mycroft [EPM03]. Chapter 11 is largely identical to another paper that I co-authored with my supervisor [EP03a]. This dissertation is my own work and contains noth-ing which is the outcome of work done in collaboration with others, except as specified in the text