The transputer is a programmable VLSI component with communication links for point-to-point connection to other transputers.Occam (*) is a language that enables a multi-transputer system to be described as a collection of processes that ogerate concurrently and communicate using message passing via named channels.The INMOS transputer architecture is standardized at the level off the definition of occam (rather than at the level of the definition of an instruction set).The implementation of the first commercially available transputers is illustrated by describing the implementation of occam.The paper concludes with outline examples of some applications.

The aims of this paper are twofold. Firstly, it aims to describe progress towards the development of a performance modelling technique which is appropriate to problems involving communicating parallel activities. Secondly, in doing this, it aims to provide an example of how differing areas of research may be related to their mutual benefit, and to indicate how facets of them may be combined to provide a valuable design tool. We draw on two current areas of research: a method of expression of concurrent activities in a programming language called EPL; and analytical performance modelling techniques based on probabilistic grammars, finite state machines and computation structures. These two areas are brought together by re-casting salient features in Petri net form. Only a sub-class of Petri nets is needed, giving valuable properties which are exploited in determining the extent to which current analytical techniques can be used. A method of modelling using these techniques in combination with simulation techniques is proposed.

Abstract This paper contains a description of an operating system development project undertaken in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Warwick. It describes in detail an operating system developed with the aims of aiding teaching by employing multiple‐access techniques, establishing a research environment, and providing practical insight into the problems of multiprocessor operating systems.

This paper describes an assembly system with editing and filing facilities designed to alleviate the problems of assembly and development of a large operating system. The system described has been implemented on the Titan computer at the University Mathematical Laboratory, Cambridge. Titan is the prototype of the Atlas 2 computer.

This paper describes a method of job-step control designed to operate within a multi-programming environment with a general purpose filing system. MLS combines a command language with the well-known techniques of relocatable binary and routine structure to produce a flexible programming system.