Skip to main content

Architectural issues in spreadsheet languages

  • Session Papers
  • Conference paper
  • First Online:

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 782))

Abstract

We have recently begun to develop a programming language model for concurrent computation based upon the popular spreadsheet metaphor. We call it the Generalized Spreadsheet Model (GSM); it provides an easy-to-use, geometrically appealing interface to a concurrent computational facility. This interface directly captures the Dataflow relationships inherent in many important problems and makes them available for determining the order of computations. GSM's hierarchical approach to problem modeling also allows us to control granularity. In this paper we use a simple neural net example program to explore some architectural implications of our approach to concurrent computation; we conclude that some reasonably simple hardware assistance would yield significant performance gains.

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

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References & Additional Reading

  1. Gul Agha. The Structure and Semantics of Actor Languages, Dept. of Computer Science, UI Urbana.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Joshua Auerbach. IBM T.J. Watson Research Center, personal communication.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Arvind, L. Bic and T. Ungerer. Evolution of Data-Flow Computers. In Advanced Topics in Data-Flow Computing. Prentice-Hall, 1991.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Arindam Banerji, Dinesh Kulkarni, John Tracey, Paul Greenawalt and David Cohn. High-Performance Distributed Shared Memory Substrate for Workstation Clusters. HPDC-93, Spokane, Washington, IEEE, 1993.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Jo Ann.C. Carland, James W. Carland, and Carroll D. Aby, Jr.. Spreadsheets: Placebos or Panacea? In Journal of Research on Computing in Education 21(1): 112–19. Fall 1988.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Sven A. Carlsson. A Longitudinal Study of Spreadsheet Program Use. In Journal of Management Information Systems 5(1): 82–100. Summer 1988.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Rommert J. Casimir. Real Programmers Don't Use Spreadsheets. In ACM SIGPLAN Notices 27(6): 10–16. June 1992.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Robert L. Chew and Rajoo Goel. Transaction Processing Using Lotus 1-2-3. In Journal of Systems Management 38(1): 30–37. Jan 1987.

    Google Scholar 

  9. W. D. Clinger. Foundations of Actor Semantics. AI-TR-633, MIT Artificial Intelligence Lab, May 1981.

    Google Scholar 

  10. William J. Dally et al, The Message-Driven Processor: A Multicomputer Processing Node with Efficient Mechanisms. In IEEE Micro, pp 23–39, April 1992.

    Google Scholar 

  11. The Evolution of “Static” Data-Flow Architecture, Jack Dennis; in Advanced Topics in Data-Flow Computing, J.L. Gaudiot, L. Bic, eds. (35–91). Prentice-Hall, 1991.

    Google Scholar 

  12. N. Francez. Fairness. Springer-Verlag, NY, 1986.

    Google Scholar 

  13. C. Hewitt. Viewing Control Structures as Patterns of Passing Messages. Journal of Artificial Intelligence, 8(3):323–64, June 1977.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Charles E. Hughes and J. Michael Moshell. Action Graphics; A Spreadsheet-based Language for Animated Simulation. In Visual Languages and Applications, Ichikawa, Jungert and Korfhage, eds. Plenum Press, 1990.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Suresh Jagannathan. A Programming Language Supporting First-Class, Parallel Environments. Technical Report LCS-TR 434, MIT, Dec. 1988.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Suresh Jagannathan. Coercion as a Metaphor for Computation. In Proceedings of the 1990 International Conference on Computer Languages. IEEE Computer Society Press, 1990.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Suresh Jagannathan and Gul Agha, A Reflective Model of Inheritance, Dept of Computer Science Technical Report, UI Urbana 1990 (“to appear in ECOOP '92 proceedings, Springer-Verlag LNCS 615”).

    Google Scholar 

  18. Jeff Johnson, Bonnie Nardi, Craig Zarmer, James Miller. ACE: Building Interactive Graphical Applications. In CACM 36(4): 41–55. April 1993.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Ken Kahn and Mark Miller. Language Design and Open Systems. In The Ecology of Computation, North Holland, 1988.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Samuel Kamin. Programming Languages; An Interpreter-Based Approach. Addison Wesley, 1990.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Henry Liebermann. Using Prototypical Objects to Implement Shared Behavior in Object-Oriented Systems. In OOPSLA '86 Conference Proceedings, pp 214–223, 1986. Published as SIGPLAN Notice 21(11), November 1986.

    Google Scholar 

  22. C. Litecky. Spreadsheet Macro Programming: a Critique with Emphasis on Lotus 1-2-3. In Journal of Systems and Software 13(3): 197–200. Nov 1990.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Pattie Maes. Concepts and Experiments in Computational Reflection. Proceedings of OOPSLA'87, pp. 147–155. Oct 4–8, 1987.

    Google Scholar 

  24. D. Mason. An Empirical Analysis of Spreadsheet Usage: A Solution Storing Up Problems. In Journal of Information Technology 6(4): 159–63. Sep 1989.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Brad A. Myers. Graphical Techniques in a Spreadsheet for Specifying User Interfaces. In CHI '91 Proceedings. (New Orleans, LA April 27–May 2, 1991) ACM/Addison Wesley, 1991.

    Google Scholar 

  26. H. Albert Napier, David M. Lane, Richard R. Batsell, and Norman S. Guadango. Impact of a Restricted Natural Language Interface on Ease of Learning and Productivity. In CACM 32(10): 1190–98, Oct 1989.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Jakob Nielsen. Noncommand User Interfaces. In CACM 36(4):83–99.

    Google Scholar 

  28. George Robertson, Stuart K. Card and Jock Mackinlay. Information Visualization using 3D Interactive Animation. In CACM 36(4): 57–71. April 1993.

    Google Scholar 

  29. J. Sajaniemi and J. Pekkanen. An Empirical Analysis of Spreadsheet Calculation. In Software: Practice and Experience 20(11): 1097–1114. Nov 1990.

    Google Scholar 

  30. Nicholas Wilde and Clayton Lewis. Spreadsheet-based Interactive Graphics: from Prototype to Tool. In CHI '90 Proceedings. ACM Press 1990.

    Google Scholar 

  31. Alan G. Yoder and David L. Cohn. Making Concurrent Programming Easy. Univ. of Notre Dame, Tech Report 93-8: Postscript version by anon. ftp from invaders.dcrl.nd.edu, /pub/TechReports/1993/tr-93-8.ps

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Jürg Gutknecht

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1994 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this paper

Cite this paper

Yoder, A.G., Cohn, D.L. (1994). Architectural issues in spreadsheet languages. In: Gutknecht, J. (eds) Programming Languages and System Architectures. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 782. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-57840-4_35

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-57840-4_35

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-57840-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-48356-4

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics