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A macro notation is introduced. The notation was designed to permit the specification of the behaviour of a distributed system in terms of resources characterised by associated synchronisation statements. The proper co-ordination of processes using the resources can thus be stated as the permissable order of execution of operations on shared resources as part of the resource definition. This contrasts with the usual ""process orientated"" approach which associates synchronisation statements with the processes using the resource. This makes proper co-ordination of processes part of the individual task of each process. We argue that the process orientated approach is not suited for specifying highly parallel systems with distributed decision capabilities. The notions of adequacy, starvation, priority and interrupts are discussed in the context of our ""resource orientated"" approach and compared with their counterparts in a ""process orientated"" approach. Semi formal demonstrations of the adequacy of simple but realistic example systems are sketched.
Author(s): Lauer PE, Shields MW
Series Editor(s): Shaw B
Publication type: Report
Publication status: Published
Series Title: Computing Laboratory Technical Report Series
Year: 1977
Pages: [40]
Print publication date: 01/12/1977
Source Publication Date: December 1977
Report Number: 117
Institution: Computing Laboratory, The University of Newcastle upon Tyne
Place Published: Newcastle upon Tyne
