Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!harpo!seismo!hao!hplabs!sri-unix!JAY@USC-ECLC From: JAY@USC-ECLC@sri-unix.UUCP Newsgroups: net.ai Subject: data flow computers and PS's Message-ID: <3603@sri-arpa.UUCP> Date: Thu, 28-Jul-83 16:52:00 EDT Article-I.D.: sri-arpa.3603 Posted: Thu Jul 28 16:52:00 1983 Date-Received: Mon, 1-Aug-83 08:49:08 EDT Lines: 31 From: Jay(more speculation) There has been some developement of computers suited to certain high level languages, includeing the LISP machines. There has also been some research into non-Von Neuman machines. One such machine is the Data Flow Machine. The data flow machine differs from the conventional computer in that ALL instructions are initiated when the program starts. Each instruction waits for the calculations yeilding its arguments to finish before it finishes. This machine seems, to me, to be ideally suited to Production Systems/Expert Systems. Each rule would be represented as a few instructions (the IF part of the production) and the THEN part would be represented by the completion of the rule. For example, the rule (Month-is-june AND Sun-is-up) -> (Temperature-is-high) would be coded as: Temperature-is-high: AND / \ / \ / \ (Month-is-june) (Sun-is-up) Where (Month-is-june) and (Sun-is-up) are represented as either other rules, or as data (which I assume completes instantly). j'