The book emphasizes the design of full-fledged, fully normalizing lambda calculus machinery, as opposed to the just weakly normalizing machines.

Abstract Machine Models have played a profound though frequently unacknowledged role in the development of modern computing systems. They provide a precise definition of vital concepts, allow system complexity to be managed by providing appropriate views of the activity under consideration, enable reasoning about the correctness and quantitative performance of proposed problem solutions, and encourage communication through a common medium of expression. Abstract Models in Parallel and Distributed computing have a particularly important role in the development of contemporary systems, encapsulating and controlling an inherently high degree of complexity. The Parallel and Distributed computing communities have traditionally considered themselves to be separate. However, there is a significant contemporary interest in both of these communities in a common hardware model; a set of workstation-class machines connected by a high-performance network. The traditional Parallel/Distributed distinction therefore appears under threat.

This tutorial demystifies one of the most important yet poorly understood aspects of logic programming, the Warren Abstract Machine or WAM. The author's step-by-step construction of the WAM adds features in a gradual manner, clarifying the complex aspects of the design and providing the first detailed study of WAM since it was designed in 1983.Developed by David H. D. Warren, the WAM is an abstract (nonphysical) computer that aids in the compilation and implementation of the Prolog programming language and offers techniques for compiling and optimizing symbolic computing that can be generalized beyond Prolog. Although the benefits of the WAM design have been widely accepted, few have been able to penetrate the WAM. This lucid introduction defines separate abstract machines for each conceptually separate part of the design and refines them, finally stitching them together to make a WAM. An index presents all of the critical concepts used in the WAM. It is assumed that readers have a clear understanding of the operational semantics of Prolog, in particular, of unification and backtracking, but a brief summary of the necessary Prolog notions is provided.Contents: Introduction. Unification -- Pure and Simple. Flat Resolution. Prolog. Optimizing the Design. Conclusion. Appendixes.

Analyzes cognitive, social and technical issues of end user programming. Drawing on empirical research on existing end user systems, this text examines the importance of task-specific programming languages, visual application frameworks and collaborative work practices for end user computing.

The Physics of Computing gives a foundational view of the physical principles underlying computers. Performance, power, thermal behavior, and reliability are all harder and harder to achieve as transistors shrink to nanometer scales. This book describes the physics of computing at all levels of abstraction from single gates to complete computer systems. It can be used as a course for juniors or seniors in computer engineering and electrical engineering, and can also be used to teach students in other scientific disciplines important concepts in computing. For electrical engineering, the book provides the fundamentals of computing that link core concepts to computing. For computer science, it provides foundations of key challenges such as power consumption, performance, and thermal. The book can also be used as a technical reference by professionals. - Links fundamental physics to the key challenges in computer design, including memory wall, power wall, reliability - Provides all of the background necessary to understand the physical underpinnings of key computing concepts - Covers all the major physical phenomena in computing from transistors to systems, including logic, interconnect, memory, clocking, I/O