Perspectives on Computer Science

Perspectives on Computer Science provides information pertinent to the fundamental aspects of computer science. This book discusses the weaknesses frequently found in minicomputers.
Organized into 12 chapters, this book begins with an overview of the technological, economic, and human aspects of the environment in which PDP-11 was designed and built. This text then examines the set of techniques for tree searching. Other chapters consider a tutorial on automatic planning systems, with emphasis given to knowledge representation issues. This book discusses as well the classical least-fixedpoint approach toward recursive programs and examines the interplay between time and space determined by a variety of machine models. The final chapter deals with some of the primary influences in contemporary programming language design, namely, programming methodology, program specification, verification, and formal semantic definition techniques.
This book is a valuable resource for students and teachers. Computer science theoreticians and mathematicians will also find this book useful.

Contenu

List of Contributors

Preface

Foreword

The Keynote Speech

What Have We Learned from the PDP-11?

1. Introduction

2. Background: Thoughts Behind the Design

3. Technology: Components of the Design

4. People: Builders of the Design

5. The PDP-11 : An Evaluation

6. Future Plans and Directions

7. Summary

   References

The Use of Domain-Dependent Descriptions in Tree Searching

1. Introduction

2. The Use of Domain-Dependent Knowledge

3. Necessary Properties of Domain-Dependent Descriptions

4. Domain-Dependent Descriptions for Computer Chess

5. Examples

6. Summary

   References

Knowledge Representation In Automatic Planning Systems

1. Introduction

2. State Description Models

3. Action Models

4. Procedural Subplanners

5. Hierarchical Planning

6. Assertional Domain Knowledge

7. Summary

   References

On the Concurrency of Parallel Processes

1. Introduction

2. Coordination of Concurrent Programs

3. Deadlock Detection

4. Conclusion

   References

A Case Study-Assimilation and Creation of Computer Science Technology In a Developing Country

1. The Problem in General

2. Computer Science Technology for Bureaucratic Systems

3. The Infonavit

4. The Political Framework

5. Administrative Measures

6. The Technical Aspects

7. Conclusions

A New Approach to Recursive Programs

1. Introduction

2. Recursive Programs and Their Fixedpoints

3. The Optimal Fixedpoint

4. A Detailed Example

5. Proof Techniques

6. Conclusion

   References

Time and Space

1. Introduction

2. Time and Space in Various Machine Models

3. Inclusion Relations among Complexity Classes

   References

C.mmp: A Progress Report on Synergistic Research

1. Introduction

2. Overview

3. Scientific Issues

4. Research Strategy Issues

5. Conclusions

   References

Multiplicative Speedup of Systems

1. Introduction

2. Technology

3. Architecture

4. System Software

5. Program Organization

6. Algorithm Analysis

7. Program Implementation

8. Knowledge Sources

9. Heuristics

10. Discussion

11. Conclusions

    References

On the Nature of Understanding

1. Early Understanding Programs

2. Understanding Programs: The Second Half-Decade

3. A Definition of Understanding

4. The Understand Program

5. Understanding the Tower of Hanoi Problem

6. Understanding and Awareness

7. Conclusion

   References

Some Thoughts on the Next Generation of Programming Languages

1. Introduction

2. A Personal View of Programs and Structure

3. A Personal View of Verification

4. Alphard

5. Conclusion and Acknowledgments

   References

Excerpts from the Symposium Panel Discussions

Contributed Talks

Demonstrations