News on FGCS Technology and related activities by the Research Institute
for Advanced Information Technology (AITEC), the successor to ICOT
JIPDEC AITEC News
July 2, 1996 Issue #3
[Table of Contents]
We have had hot and humid days in Tokyo since the rainy season set in.
In Japan, the 2002 Soccer World Cup has indirectly made the hot weather
seem even hotter, especially for overheated soccer fans feverishly
discussing this hot topic. The decision of FIFA (Federation Internationale
de Football Associations) to have Korea and Japan co-host the first ever
World Cup in Asia seems to have somewhat disappointed enthusiastic soccer
fans in both countries.
Since World War II, Japan and Korea have been described as "countries
geographically close but mentally far". The two countries are neighbors,
but their relationship has not been always friendly.
There has been a great deal of industrial collaboration in such fields as
cars and semiconductors, but there are no projects between the two
countries based on simple friendship.
Consequently, the 2002 World Cup will be the first grassroots project ever.
Of course there are many issues that have to be solved by the two nations,
such as the selection of places for the opening ceremony and the final game
and so on.
We strongly hope that the two nations will work happily together during the
next six years until the year 2002, and successfully achieve the goal of
the tournament.
At AITEC, the IFS Dissemination and Further Development Project, our most
important role, was conducted mainly among ICOT-OBs in FY '95. We call for
new participants in FY '96 and plan to extend participants to overseas
researchers in FY '97. We hope that this project will grow to become one
within a global framework.
Our project may face many obstacles, including those of language differences,
questions of intellectual proprietary rights, and financial arrangements,
though they may be smaller obstacles than those of the World Cup.
To make the project a success, like the World Cup, we consider that growing
trust and friendship between our peoples is essential.
AITEC NEWS No. 1 and No. 2 introduced our organization, members and basic
activities. From this edition, we will release current information on the
improvement and extension of main IFS programs. And we would like to
increase the trust and friendship between ourselves and the readers of the
NEWS. To begin with, we will introduce the activities of the KLIC TASK
GROUP (KLIC-TG).
Let's start with the AITEC NEWS No. 3. headlines.
1. The KLIC-TG Activities
We have asked Dr. Takashi Chikayama of the University of Tokyo, the
chairman of the KLIC Task Group (KLIC-TG), to write an introduction to
KLIC-TG. According to his article, the current activities of KLIC Task
Group are categorized into the following three.
1) Fixing Bugs
2) Adding More Features
3) Consultations
The core members of the group are those who previously worked for the
development of KLIC at ICOT (Institute for New Generation Computer
Technology). Although they are now engaged in their jobs at their present
companies, they manage to find spare time for improving and extending KLIC.
KLIC resembles a "beloved child" nurtured by the KLIC-TG members with great
care. His articles on KLIC seem almost a parental affection for KLIC.
(Article No.3-1)
-This announcement is chiefly of interest to readers in Japan.-
The IFS Development Project started last year with the aim of improving and
extending IFS. The deadline for the proposals for the project in 1996 was
June 21. We will select approximately 10 proposals from the shortlist this
year.
(No related article)
This year, AITEC will start the "KLIC Programming Contest", soliciting
programming proposals using KL1.
Please refer to Article No. 3-2 for more detailed information about the
contest such as programming categories and entry requirements. We are
hoping for many entries and have some attractive prizes to be awarded for
the best proposals.
(Article No.3-2)
The 13-year FGCS Project including its Follow-on Project created more than
2000 Technical Reports (TR) and Technical Memoranda (TM) as part of its
results. They have already been edited into four-CD-ROM-sets and delivered
to a large number of users.
Because the number of CD-ROMs is limited, we decided to publish them for
use at the AITEC Home Page on the Internet.
We provide a search service through the directory, including several items
in the directory (report number, registration date, titles in English and
Japanese, affiliation).
(No related article)
The renewal of the AITEC Home Page on Internet has proceeded in parallel
with AITEC activities. We hope you already enjoy the beautiful monthly
drawings at the top of the Home Page bringing you some Japanese seasonal
atmosphere. Please check it!
(No related article)
Activities of KLIC Task Group
Takashi Chikayama
Chairman, KLIC Task Group
Dept. of Electronic Engineering, School of Engineering,
University of Tokyo
The KLIC Task Group aims at improving and extending KLIC, a portable
parallel implementation of the concurrent logic programming language KL1,
and for answering questions from users. The group consists of about ten
members, most of them developers of the system, who perform maintenance
activities as part time voluntary work.
The members of the group do not meet frequently since they now have
different jobs; a task group meeting is held once a month, but usually not
all the members can attend. Communication among members is usually done
through electronic mail.
Recent activities of the group can be categorized into the following three.
(1) Fixing Bugs
It is our great pleasure that so many are using the KLIC system.
However, this of course makes maintenance a non-trivial task.
Some users write programs in ways that developers never dreamed of;
bugs hidden in frequently used modules suddenly emerge due to a slight
change of other modules. In the course of
porting KLIC to a new system, we encountered operating systems with
incredible behavior. When a problem is reported to the mail address
klic-bugs@icot.or.jp, it is broadcast to all the task group
members. Members with some spare time or those without the time but
who feel responsible if the problem is closely related to to his
own development work try to find the source of the problem and fix it as
soon as possible.
Some bugs demand fundamental or major modification to the system.
In such cases, fixing the problem in haste may introduce more bugs
than being fixed. Thus, we sometimes opt to tell the users how to
avoid the problem and put off the correction to future revisions.
(2) Adding More Features
KLIC is a full-fledged logic programming language system. However,
with so many users, we get many requests to add more features to
the system. We are trying hard to fulfill such needs as far as our
time permits.
KLIC, however, is not a commercial product. It is made publicly
available to disseminate the technologies of concurrent logic
programming languages and their implementation developed in the
Fifth Generation Computer Systems project. Thus, it is not our
primary concern to fulfill users' needs. Thus, requests for
features that do not suit the philosophy of KLIC may not be
added, even if it easier to do so than to explain the philosophy.
There are cases where, although it is easy to add the requested
feature itself, doing so without considering the larger framework
may compromise the maintenance and extensibility. In such cases,
the task group members ask the users or speculate on the need
for such features, and try to develop solutions that do not distort
the style of KLIC.
(3) Consultations
We receive many questions beside those on suspected bugs: On which
system does KLIC work? How do I install it? Is such and such
a feature provided? How can I program using KLIC? We always try
our best to answer any questions. Please do not hesitate to ask one
(or many), although we cannot always guarantee prompt replies.
We have set up a mailing list klic-users@icot.or.jp for such questions
and discussion. Messages to this list will be distributed not only
to the members of the KLIC task group but also to all the the KLIC
users registered in the list. Some other user may have an answer to
your question. We sometimes distribute information that we think the
KLIC users should know about to this mailing list, such as releases
of new versions and how to avoid crucial bugs. If you plan to use KLIC,
please join the mailing list by sending a request to the address
klic-requests@icot.or.jp.
Please try to include as much detailed information with your questions as
possible. This will result in faster and more appropriate responses.
If a bug is suspected, please give us information on how the program
behaves in what situation, on which operating system the KLIC system
was installed and with what configuration, what kind of behavior you
expect, and if possible, the source code of the program that concerns us.
If it is about a feature, rather than simply asking "Does it have feature X?",
please give us information on what you want to do with the feature from
an overall viewpoint. With such information, we may be able to suggest
a solution using other features of KLIC.
We cannot dedicate our whole lives to the maintening of KLIC now.
User support may not be complete. However, we'll try our best and we hope
you enjoy the KLIC system.
-The 1st KLIC Programming Contest in 1996-
1. Contents
We will solicit program proposals using KL1 parallel logic language. The
following three categories for the entry are offered.
1. You can program given problems in a sequential environment.
2. You can program given problems in a parallel environment.
3. You can program free themes.
Please note that programs must use the KLIC system.
2. Requirements
This contest is in principle open to anyone who wishes to apply. We
especially look forward to contacting applicants who are new to using KL1.
We will give away KLIC tutorial text books to these applicants.
Please note that no program must be applied to more than one category.
3. Schedule (Draft)
Solicitation Start Date : The end of July, 1996
Deadline for Application : The end of October, 1996
Awards Announcement Date : The end of November, 1996
4. Awards
The applied programs will be reviewed by the evaluation committee of this
contest according to its selection standards, and determine the 1st and 2nd
prizes and honorable mention. We will prepare a supplementary prize to each
prize.
Participation prizes are given to those proposals which pass screening by
the evaluation committee.
-Screening-
The proposed programs both in the sequential and the parallel environment
are checked whether they run properly and whether they can complete a
solution within certain limited time.
The programs in the category of free themes are checked according to the
standards set by the evaluation committee.
5. Others
The application form and other detailed information will be ready around
the end of July on the AITEC NEWS and also the AITEC Home Page. Please
check it out.
http://www.icot.or.jp/.
We hope you enjoyed AITEC NEWS No. 3. The main topic of this issue was
KLIC: the activities of KLIC Task Group and the KLIC Contest. We are very
much looking forward to your entry to the KLIC Contest.
In AITEC NEWS, we let you know about not only our activities but also
provide you with interesting and useful news. Please let us know your
opinions, ideas, comments, requests, questions, etc. about the NEWS.
aitec-news@icot.or.jp.
If you have changed or are planning to change your address due to being
transferred, etc., kindly let us know.
Please drop in at the AITEC Home Page if you are unable to come in person
to our Shiba office in Tokyo.
http://www.icot.or.jp
See you in the next AITEC NEWS.
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* *
* A I T E C N E W S Issue #3 *
* AITEC NEWS Editorial Team: *
* Makiko Sato, Chie Takahashi, Akira Aiba *
* Hiroshi Sato, Shunichi Uchida *
* Issued: July 2, 1996 *
* By: Research Institute for Advanced Information *
* Technology (AITEC), a subcenter of *
* Japan Information Processing Development *
* Center (JIPDEC) *
* 2-3-3, Minato-ku, Shiba, Tokyo 105, Japan *
* Tel: 03-3456-3191 Fax: 03-3455-4877 *
* E-mail: aitec-news@icot.or.jp *
* *
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