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Consistent semantics for a data flow language

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Mathematical Foundations of Computer Science 1980 (MFCS 1980)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 88))

Abstract

We have defined ADFL, an Applicative Data Flow Language, given its denotational semantics, thus demonstrating its simplicity, given its operational semantics, thus demonstrating its concurrency, and proven the consistency of the two semantic definitions.

This research is best extended by extension of the data flow language. Procedures are an obvious, and easy, addition to the language. The addition of constructs for programming real-time systems is a difficult, though rewarding, extension. In the data flow language of Weng [13], program identifiers may have streams (histories) as values. Interprocess communication, similar to that observed in real-time systems, is accomplished by the passing of streams. Dennis [7] has defined a stream operator which non-determinately merges two input stream and has used it to specify the inherently non-determinate airline reservation system. While the non-determinacy of this language limits the simplicity of its-semantic characterization, the elevation of process communication and synchronization to the level of passed parameters results in programs which are easier to comprehend and verify.

This research was supported by the National Science Foundation under contract 7915255-MCS and the Department of Energy under contract DE-AC02-79ER10473.

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6. References

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  1. Laboratory for Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 02139, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA

    J. Dean Brock

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  1. J. Dean Brock
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P. Dembiński

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© 1980 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Dean Brock, J. (1980). Consistent semantics for a data flow language. In: Dembiński, P. (eds) Mathematical Foundations of Computer Science 1980. MFCS 1980. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 88. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/BFb0022503

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BFb0022503

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-10027-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-38194-5

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