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Criteria for transportable algol libraries

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Book cover 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.

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References

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

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

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

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

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Authors
  1. Pieter W. Hemker
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Editor information

Wayne Cowell

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© 1977 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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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

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

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-08446-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-37071-0

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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