Braeunl@informatik.uni-stuttgart.de (Thomas Braeunl) (05/14/91)
___________________________________________________________________
THE P A R A L L A X I S MASSIVELY PARALLEL PROGRAMMING SYSTEM
___________________________________________________________________
-----------------------------------
Announcing Parallaxis Version 2.0
-----------------------------------
Parallaxis is a procedural programming language based on Modula-2, but extended
for data parallel (SIMD) programming. It has been developed at the Universitaet
Stuttgart (Germany) and is in the public domain since 1990. The main approach
for machine independent parallel programming is to include a description of the
virtual parallel machine with each parallel algorithm. The declaration includes
the number of identical processors with local memory (PEs), the names of
communication ports, and the network topology for data exchange among PEs. With
this information contained in each program, the parallel algorithm becomes
simpler (e.g. symbolic names for communication directions) and easier to
understand.
In Version 2 we extended the language in several ways:
o multiple configuration and connection structures allow
semi-dynamic topologies
o new data exchange operations for exchanging data with inactive PEs
and with implicit reductions allow general m:n connections
o data structures pointer and variant record have been added
The simulation system has also been extended:
o compiler optionally generates cross-reference files for the
o symbolic debugger on Parallaxis source level
The Parallaxis system comprises a compiler and a simulator (except for
the MasPar, which is the only parallel implementation as of today). The
versions currently available are:
* IBM-PC (DOS)
* Apple Macintosh (MAC OS)
* Sun3 w/ coproc. (OS 4.0)
* Sun3 w/o coproc. (OS 4.0)
* SPARCstation / Sun4 (OS 4.0)
* DECstation (Ultrix)
* VAXstation (Ultrix)
* HP 9000/300 (Unix)
* HP /800 series (Unix)
* Cray-2 (scalar only, sorry)
* Apollo (available soon)
* MasPar MP-1 (available July 1991)
The software packages and a number of example programs are available via
"anonymous ftp" from:
ftp.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de (129.69.211.1)
in subdirectory pub/parallaxis
Please send remarks and bug reports to: braunl@informatik.uni-stuttgart.de
There is also a new User Manual for Parallaxis Version 2.0 .
You may order a copy by sending a fee (cash or cheque) of DM 10.00 (Europe)
or US$ 15.00 (outside Europe) to:
Thomas Braunl, Univ. Stuttgart IPVR
Breitwiesenstr. 20-22, D-7000 Stuttgart 80
Germany
--
==========================================================================
Thomas Braunl e-mail: braunl@informatik.uni-stuttgart.de
Univ. Stuttgart IPVR, Breitwiesenstr. 20-22, D-7000 Stuttgart 80, Germany
==========================================================================
--
=========================== MODERATOR ==============================
Steve Stevenson {steve,fpst}@hubcap.clemson.edu
Department of Computer Science, comp.parallel
Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634-1906 (803)656-5880.mabell