July 1972 Table of Contents | Communications of the ACM

Home → Magazine Archive → July 1972 (Vol. 15, No. 7)

The first twenty-five years: ACM 1947-1962

Lee Revens

Pages 485-490

Publications in computing: an informal review

Eric A. Weiss

Pages 491-497

ACM president's letter: the next two years

Anthony Ralston

Pages 499-500

Aesthetics and the human factor in programming

Andrei P. Ershov

Pages 501-505

As the industry sees it

G. G. Probst, Robert S. Oelman, Sam Wyly, C. Lester Hogan, F. T. Cary, Gordon Bell, Donald P. Kircher

Pages 506-517

Toward an automata theory of brains

A source of ideas for automata theory—the study of the brain—has been pushed aside in mathematical development of the theory. This paper suggests the ways in which automata theory might evolve over the next 25 years if it is …

Michael A. Arbib

Pages 521-527

Fixpoint approach to the theory of computation

Following the fixpoint theory of Scott, the semantics of computer programs are defined in terms of the least fixpoints of recursive programs. This allows not only the justification of all existing verification techniques, but …

Zohar Manna, Jean Vuillemin

Pages 528-536

Numerical mathematics and computer science

Numerical mathematics is viewed as the analysis of continuous algorithms. Four of the components of numerical mathematics are discussed. These are: foundations (finite precision number systems, computational compexity), synthesis …

J. F. Traub

Pages 537-541

Management science: a view from nonlinear programming

A brief history of integer and continuous nonlinear programming is presented as well as the current obstacles to practical use of these mathematical programming techniques. It is forecast that the useful contributions to nonlinear …

David F. Shanno, Roman L. Weil

Pages 542-549

Towards a general theory of special functions

A list of a number of natural developments for the field of algebraic manipulation is given. Then the prospects for a general theory of functions defined by ordinary differential equations are discussed. The claim is made that …

Joel Moses

Pages 550-554

A view of computer architecture

An attempt is made to predict the developments of the next 25 years in the field of computer architecture. Standardized, inexpensive microcomputers on a single chip are predicted. These will be used extensively to provide logical …

Caxton C. Foster

Pages 557-565

On the interface between computers and data communications systems

Future systems that combine computers, digital terminals, and communications equipment present design optimization problems that require reconsideration of the traditional functional responsibilities of the respective subsystems …

A. G. Fraser

Pages 566-573

Structured multiprogramming

This paper presents a proposal for structured representation of multiprogramming in a high level language. The notation used explicitly associates a data structure shared by concurrent processes with operations defined on it. …

Per Brinch Hansen

Pages 574-578

Operating system performance

An overview of the current and future positions with respect to operating system performance is given. While a great deal of information and a large number of models for subsystems have been developed, gaps still exist in our …

W. C. Lynch

Pages 579-585

The role of computer system models in performance evaluation

Models constitute a useful means of investigating computer system performance. This paper examines the interrelationships between models and other methods for evaluating the performance of computer systems and establishes circumstances …

Stephen R. Kimbleton

Pages 586-590

Programming systems and languages 1965-1975

In spite of impressive gains by PL/I, Fortran and Cobol remain the languages in which most of the world's production programs are written and will remain so into the foreseeable future. There is a great deal of theoretical interest …

Saul Rosen

Pages 591-600

Programming languages: history and future

This paper discusses both the history and future of programming languages ( = higher level languages). Some of the difficulties in writing such a history are indicated. A key part of the paper is a tree showing the chronological …

Jean E. Sammet

Pages 601-610

The production of better mathematical software

Some observations are made on steps to be taken toward the creation of better mathematical software. These steps suggest the need for a coordinated effort and the creation of a center to focus activities in this area.

Lloyd D. Fosdick

Pages 611-617

Requirements for advanced programming systems for list processing

List processing systems should be designed to facilitate production of large programs to manipulate large complex symbolic data stores. This paper presents an overview of a number of system features which the author feels are …

Daniel G. Bobrow

Pages 618-627

The evolution of storage structures

Data base management systems have grown rapidly in their power and complexity over the 15-year history of data processing on commercially available computers. The original concepts have split, and new terms have been adopted …

Charles W. Bachman

Pages 628-634

On the present and future of scientific computation

A pessimistic forecast is given of what can be expected to happen in the application of computers to the physical sciences.

John R. Rice

Pages 637-639

A generational perspective of information system development

System development is categorized from a generational point of view that parallels the commonly described computing system generations. For each generation, the scope of development projects and the technological world view of …

Robert I. Benjamin

Pages 640-643

Language analysis in the humanities

The use of the computer in the language-oriented humanities for exhaustive listing of detail (as in indices and concordances) is widespread and accepted as desirable. The implications of the computer for a “science” of the humanities—a …

Sally Yeates Sedelow

Pages 644-647

Computers in the instructional process: directions for research and development

A survey is given of computer applications to the instructional process which suggests how the computer professional can contribute to effective educational systems.

Karl L. Zinn

Pages 648-651

Computers and urban society

This brief survey of the use of computers in urban society covers the broad range of activities found in any city. The future scope of applications is limited only by the imagination and inventiveness of future system designers …

Gerald M. Sturman

Pages 652-657

Dynamic document processing

The current role of computers in automatic document processing is briefly outlined, and some reasons are given why the early promise of library automation and of the mechanization of documentation processes has not been fulfilled …

Gerard Salton

Pages 658-668

Ancient Babylonian algorithms

The early origins of mathematics are discussed, emphasizing those aspects which seem to be of greatest interest from the standpoint of computer science. A number of old Babylonian tablets, many of which have never before been …

Donald E. Knuth

Pages 671-677

The “Plankalkül” of Konrad Zuse: a forerunner of today's programming languages

Plankalkül was an attempt by Konrad Zuse in the 1940's to devise a notational and conceptual system for writing what today is termed a program. Although this early approach to a programming language did not lead to practical …

F. L. Bauer, H. Wössner

Pages 678-685

A western view of computer history

Many U.S. histories of the digital computer field have tended to be impersonal, with heavy emphasis on eastern universities and commercial developments. This article records the events of the early years in a personal way. The …

Richard E. Sprague

Pages 686-692

Archaelogy of computers: reminiscences, 1945-1947

The period preceding the founding of ACM was dominated by the first large computer ENIAC. Its characteristics, described here, foreshadow later developments.

Franz L. Alt

Pages 693-694

Computers and employment

The relationship of computers and automation to employment is part of the more general relation of technological change to employment. The most obvious effect is that increases in productivity due to technology can eliminate …

A. Borodin, C. C. Gotlieb

Pages 695-702

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