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CALL FOR BOOK CHAPTERS BOOK TITLE: Process Algebra for Parallel and Distributed Processing: Algebraic Languages in Specification-Based Software Development EDITORS: Michael Alexander, WU Wien Bill Gardner, University of Guelph The book will be published in the Computational Science Series by Chapman and Hall/CRC Press in 2008 INTRODUCTION: Programming today's multi-core processor architectures, clusters, and grids is hard. Compiler research -- despite years of effort -- has still not produced implicit instruction parallelism detection that goes much beyond that of basic loop-parallelism. In addition, parallel programming in the past two decades has seen only measured improvements in parallel algorithms, languages with parallel expressivity, frameworks, and distributed validation support. As compilers have failed to deliver on their original promises, the objective of easing fine-grained parallel application programmability remains. As a consequence, new and additional paradigms are being looked at to solve what amounts to an emerging "parallel software development crisis". The approach that looks most promising is that of specification-based software development. It has its origins 3 decades ago, and it has been in a holding state for many years, only to re-emerge to a wider audience with the advent of the Object Management Group's Model Driven Architecture (MDA). Yet, specification-based software development can only deliver correct, parallel and distributed programs if the specification is precise, sufficiently expressive, and complete. Here, algebraic languages and process algebras are the paradigm that could catalyze solutions to many problems hampering efficient multi-core processor, cluster, and grid programmability problems. They are moving into a wide realm, as evidenced by the recent release of an interpreter for the algebraic Sun Fortress Language. The book is targeted to bring together the state-of-the-art in research on the application of algebraic languages and process algebras to parallel and distributed processing. It will be written to the problem statement of programming today's multi-core processor architectures, clusters, and grids. RECOMMENDED TOPICS INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO THE FOLLOWING: The book aims to extensively treat algebraic languages/process algebras in parallel processing, embodying the state-of-the-art in many of the following non-inclusive list of subtopics, emphasizing an algebraic approach in each. Parallelism-oriented algebraic languages Process calculi as catalysts to solving the concurrent programming challenge Challenges in parallel programming Formal models in distributed and parallel processing Model checking, verification techniques Program transformation Axiomatizations Concurrent languages Formal semantics Formal object-oriented languages Algebras in the theory of parallel processing and distributed computing (Object oriented) distributed systems algebras Algebras and library-based approaches Frameworks supporting algebraic implementations MPI and process algebras Algebraic treatments of parallel and distributed databases (relational algebras/calculi) Concurrent composition Program generation Specification methods, notations and languages (Z, VDM-SL, B, etc.) Model and algebra transformation Operational semantics of distributed/parallel algebraic languages Parallel and distributed system specification Process algebra compilers Timed algebras Actor models CCS/CSP/ACP/Pi-Calculus/etc. in parallel-and distributed processing Equational Reasoning Software reliability/safety-critical systems Proofs Compositional/noncompositional methods Formal software development Integrated development environments for formal software Tools Case studies The editors invite the submission of abstracts (300-600 words) for proposed chapters, not under consideration elsewhere. Format and preparation instructions for full chapter submissions will be supplied to authors of accepted abstracts. Submitted chapters will undergo peer review. IMPORTANT DATES: Abstracts deadline, May 30, 2007 Notify accepted abstracts, June 18, 2007 Chapters deadline, Sep. 3, 2007 Notify accepted chapters, Dec. 17, 2007 Final manuscripts with index word lists, Feb. 18, 2008 HOW TO SUBMIT: Please post an abstract of your planned submission via EDAS at http://edas DOT info/newPaper.php?c=5487 There, create an EDAS account and paste the abstract text into the paper registration form. The book's website can be found at: http://carmel.cis.uoguelph.ca/paBook Editor Contacts Dr. Michael Alexander Wirtschaftsuniversitaet Wien Department of Information Systems and Process Management Augasse 2-6 A-1090 Vienna, Austria Email: malex...@wu-wien.ac.at Telephone: +43.1.31336.4467 Dr. William Gardner University of Guelph Department of Computing and Information Science 50 Stone Rd E Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada Email: wgard...@cis.uoguelph.ca Telephone: +1.519.824.4120 x52696
