Article

Experience with multi-transputer Ada

  1. Judy M. Bishop1,
  2. Ken S. Thomas2

Article first published online: 24 OCT 2006

DOI: 10.1002/cpe.4330050204

Issue

Concurrency: Practice and Experience

Concurrency: Practice and Experience

Volume 5, Issue 2, pages 133–151, April 1993

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How to Cite

Bishop, J. M. and Thomas, K. S. (1993), Experience with multi-transputer Ada. Concurrency: Practice and Experience, 5: 133–151. doi: 10.1002/cpe.4330050204

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Computer Science University of Pretoria Pretoria 0002 South Africa

  2. 2

    Department of Electronics and Computer Science The University Southampton SO9 5NH UK

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 24 OCT 2006
  2. Article first published online: 24 OCT 2006

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Abstract

The transputer is one of the most cost-effective multicomputer components to buy, but still one of the hardest to program. Even if the parts of a program that are destined for individual transputers are programmed in a familiar high-level language (Ada or Fortran or C), users are forced to be aware of occam when connecting transputers together with harnesses. Moreover, the design of parallel and distributed algorithms is in itself a challenging field. This paper describes experience with using the Alsys Ada compiler on single and multiple transputer configurations, and considers whether Ada makes it any easier to gain access to the power of multi-transputers. Early performance figures indicate that Ada running on transputer arrays compares favourably with the speed of other languages. An assessment of the impact of the proposed Ada 9X support for distribution is made.

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