rst@cs.hull.ac.uk (Rob Turner) (11/13/90)
We are trying to quickly put together a syllabus for a course entitled
"Models of Computation"
It will include discussions of the various programming language
paradigms, such as imperative, functional, logic, and object-oriented.
It will also deal with semantics.
Does anyone have any opinions about what should go into this course,
and are there any books which cover all the areas I mentioned above.
In particular, books should have adequate discussions of operational
semantics, which seems to be largely ignored in many of the books I
have seen in favour of denotational and axiomatic semantics (why?).
Thanks in advance
Rob
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Robert Turner | rst@cs.hull.ac.uk
Department of Computer Science |
University of Hull | "In every real man a child is
Hull HU6 7RX | hidden that wants to play"
England | - Nietzschegordon@cs.tamu.edu (Dan Gordon) (11/14/90)
In article <18679.9011131440@olympus.cs.hull.ac.uk> rst@cs.hull.ac.uk (Rob Turner) writes:
<
<We are trying to quickly put together a syllabus for a course entitled
<
< "Models of Computation"
<
<It will include discussions of the various programming language
<paradigms, such as imperative, functional, logic, and object-oriented.
<It will also deal with semantics.
<
<Does anyone have any opinions about what should go into this course,
<and are there any books which cover all the areas I mentioned above.
<In particular, books should have adequate discussions of operational
<semantics, which seems to be largely ignored in many of the books I
<have seen in favour of denotational and axiomatic semantics (why?).
Hasn't the term "models of computation" been used traditionally to
refer to different computational models, such as automata, push-down
automata, Turing machines, Markov algorithms, RAM's, etc.?kend@data.UUCP (Ken Dickey) (11/15/90)
rst@cs.hull.ac.uk (Rob Turner) writes: >We are trying to quickly put together a syllabus for a course entitled > "Models of Computation" >It will include discussions of the various programming language >paradigms, such as imperative, functional, logic, and object-oriented. >It will also deal with semantics. >Does anyone have any opinions about what should go into this course, >and are there any books which cover all the areas I mentioned above. >In particular, books should have adequate discussions of operational >semantics, which seems to be largely ignored in many of the books I >have seen in favour of denotational and axiomatic semantics (why?). I would recommend Abelson & Sussman: "Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs", MIT Press, 1985. It deals with all the paradims you mention. David Schmidt's "Denotational Semantics" (Allyn & Bacon, 1986) might be a good companion. As to models, are you asking about Von Neuman's extension of the Turing Model vs the Lambda Calculus Model? I am not sure what you mean here. If you want to get into operational semantics (why?), you might look at Bauer & Wossner: "Algorighmic Language and Program Development", Springer Verlag, 1981 and the related project CIP transformation system for "wide spectrum" language development (Springer lecture notes #183 and #292). I believe Pepper has a newer text along this line (also SpringerV), but I forget the title. -Ken Dickey kend@data.uucp