Faculty of Mathematic Handbook,1987 - University of Newcastle

680118 Software-Oriented Computer Architecture - J.L. Keedy
Prerequisite
Hours
Examination
Content
Computer Operating Systems
2 lecture hours per week (one semester)
plus regular assignments (including essay)
One 2-hour paper
Conventional computer architectures have usually been designed with little understanding
of the needs of the software intended to be ex.ecuted on them. This topic examines
mechanisms which can fairly easily be incorporated into computers and which can have a
dramatic effect on the design of software (operating systems, compilers and application
programs). The main issues discussed include stack organisation, the structure of virtual
memory, addressing mechanisms and protection, as well as support for modularity.
680101 Advanced Operating System Principles - J.L. Keedy
Prerequisite
Computer Operating Systems
Hours
2 lecture hours per week (one semester)
plus regular assignments
Examination
Content
One 2-hour paper
A critical study of operating system techniques, with emphasis on the nature of processes
and the methods used to synchronise them, including a study of various advanced
mechanisms. Other aspects studied may include modularity, naming, file system
structures and command language design. Various new ideas for structuring operating
systems are presented.
680113 Formal Semantics of Programming Languages - Simon
Prerequisite
Programming Languages & Systems
Hours
2 lecture hours per week (one semester)
Examination
One 2-hour paper
Content
The syntax of programming languages is generally described quite concisely and
unambiguously in syntax diagrams, BNF or the like; but the semantics, the meaning or
the outcome of constructs in the language, is generally described quite sloppily in
English. Several highly formal abstract systems have been developed for the semantic
description of programming languages. This course will look at such systems in general,
and at one of them, denotational semantics, in detail.
Texts
Gordon, M.J.C.
The Denatational Description of Programming
Languages (Springer Verlag 1979)
References
Milne & Strachey
A Theory of Programming Language Semantics
(Wiley 1976)
Delwtational Semantics: The Scott-Strachey Approach
to Programming Language Theory (MIT Press 1977)
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680103 Artificial Intelligence - Simon
Prerequisite
Programming Languages & Systems
Hours
2 lecture hours per week (one semester)
Examination
Content
One 2-hour paper
This course will provide an overview of Artificial Intelligence, covering some or all of
the following topics: introduction and history; game playing; representation of knowledge;
natural language processing; expert systems; automatic deduction; predicate calculus;
theorem proving; computer vision; computer learning; philosophical, psychological and
social issues.
References
Barr & Feigenbaum
Boden
Winston
Nilsson
The Handbook of Artijiciallntelligence (pitman 1981)
Artificiallntelligence and Natural Man
(Harvester Press 1977)
ArtijicialIntelligence (Addison-Wesley 1977)
Problem Solving Methods in ArlijicialImelJigence
(McGraw-Hill 1971)
680110 Concurrency, Complexity and VLSI - B. Beresford-Smith
Prerequisite
Theory of Computing
Hours
2 lecture hours per week (one semester)
Examination
Content
One 2-hour paper
This course provides an introduction to aspects of VLSI systems which are relevant to
those with a software bent. The fundamentals of VLSI are introduced together with a
description of the types of software design tools used. The opportunities which VLSI
offers for the development of non-conventional computational structures and the
theoretical computer models and algorithms appropriate to such structures are
investigated. Complexity and other issues arising from the prospect of building machines
with very many parallel processing elements and a high level of concurrency are
discussed.
References
Evans, D.J. (ed.)
Hopcroft, lE. & Ullman, J.D.
Kuck, D.l., Lawrie, D.H.
& Sameh, A.H. (eds)
Mead, C.A. & Conway, L.A.
Savage, J.E.
Traub, J.F. (ed)
Ullman, J.D.
Parallel Processing Systems
(Cambridge University Press 1982)
Introduction to Automata Theory, Languages and
Computation (Addison-Wesley 1979)
High Speed Computer and Algorithm Organization
(Academic Press 1977)
Introduction to VISl Systems (Addison-Wesley 1980)
The Complexity of Computing (Wiley 1976)
Algorithms and Complexity (Academic "Press 1976)
Computational Aspects of VLSl
(Computer Science Press 1984)
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