What role can programming languages play in our continuing efforts for high‐speed computation, and what role should they play? The overwhelming majority of high‐speed computing is now done in FORTRAN on large vector machines such as the Cray 1 and the CDC Cyber 205. While the exact nature of future supercomputers is unclear, by almost all indications they will be multiprocessors. Conservative plans would link on the order of 64 processors, while more aggressive approaches, such as the “data flow” strategy, would link several thousand processors. In either case, the goal is to arrange each program to use as many processors as needed to complete execution in the shortest amount of time. To what extent can languages and their associated compilers assist us in reaching this goal?

Topics
Multiprocessor, Programming languages, Supercomputer
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© 1984 American Institute of Physics.
1984
American Institute of Physics
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