Location via proxy:   [ UP ]  
[Report a bug]   [Manage cookies]                
Skip to main content
Springer Nature Link
Log in

Criteria for transportable algol libraries

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Portability of Numerical Software

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 57))

Abstract

A rather comprehensive numerical software library (NUMAL {3}) was transported from a Philips EL-X8 computer to a CDC CYBER system. The experiences justify the following conclusion:

If (1) we use a well-defined language (e.g., ALGOL 60 or ALGOL 68), if (2) we construct well-programmed software in that language, if (3) we have a good compiler and if (4) the computer/compiler has well-designed arithmetic properties, then the transportability problem scarcely exists. This statement can also be put the other way. The requirement of orthogonality of the conditions (1) – (4) determines what can be considered as a decent programming language, a good compiler, good programming and well-behaved arithmetic.

For instance, good programming should not make use (perhaps at the cost of some efficiency) of idiosyncratic features of a language dialect, of a particular compiler or of a particular kind of machine arithmetic. From this abstract point of view, a number of useful properties of a well-structured portable software library are mentioned.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Dekker, T. J., A Floating-Point Technique for Extending the Available Precision, Numer. Math. 18 (1971) 224–242.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Naur, P., Ed., Revised Report on the Algorithmic Language ALGOL 60, A/S Regnecentralen, Copenhagen, 1964.

    Google Scholar 

  3. NUMAL, A Library of Numerical Procedures in ALGOL 60, Mathematical Centre, 1974.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Wilkinson, J. H., and Reinsch, C., Handbook for Automatic Computation, Vol. 2, Linear Algebra, Springer-Verlag, Heidelberg, 1971.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors
  1. Pieter W. Hemker
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Wayne Cowell

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1977 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this paper

Cite this paper

Hemker, P.W. (1977). Criteria for transportable algol libraries. In: Cowell, W. (eds) Portability of Numerical Software. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 57. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-08446-0_40

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-08446-0_40

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-08446-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-37071-0

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation