This paper illustrates the use of SOL, a general-purpose algorithmic language useful for describing and simulating complex systems. Such a system is described as a number of individual processes which simultaneously enact a program very much like a computer program. (Some features of the SOL language are directly applicable to programming languages for parallel computers, as well as for simulation.) Once a system has been described in the language, the program can be translated by the SOL compiler into an interpretive code, and the execution of this code produces statistical information about the model. A detailed example of a SOL model for a multiple on-line console system is exhibited, indicating the notational simplicity and intuitive nature of the language.

This paper gives a formal definition of SOL, a general-purpose algorithmic language useful for describing and simulating complex systems. SOL is described using meta-linguistic formulas as used in the definition of ALGOL 60. The principal differences between SOL and problem-oriented languages such as ALGOL or FORTRAN is that SOL includes capabilities for expressing parallel computation, convenient notations for embedding random quantities within arithmetic expressions and automatic means for gathering statistics about the elements involved. SOL differs from other simulation languages such as SIMSCRIPT primarily in simplicity of use and in readability since it is capable of describing models without including computer-oriented characteristics.