From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.4 (2020-01-24) on polar.synack.me X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=-0.8 required=5.0 tests=BAYES_00,INVALID_DATE autolearn=no autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 Xref: utzoo comp.edu:2880 comp.lang.ada:3147 comp.lang.misc:3851 Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!cs.utexas.edu!rice!uw-beaver!uw-june!pattis From: pattis@cs.washington.edu (Richard Pattis) Newsgroups: comp.edu,comp.lang.ada,comp.lang.misc Subject: Re: Teaching Concurrency Summary: So, the question is... Message-ID: <10330@june.cs.washington.edu> Date: 10 Jan 90 22:47:53 GMT References: <7588@hubcap.clemson.edu> <602@agcsun.UUCP> Organization: U of Washington, Computer Science, Seattle List-Id: > ..in ACM SIGAda Ada Letters. The article discusses programming assignments > where concurrent tasks are used for things like sorting numbers, solving > equations, finding primes, etc. > > Although these programming assignments evidently had some valuable lessons > on multi-tasking, I feel that they may also inadventantly teach a > less desirable lesson: that it is OK to use concurrent tasks for things > that could be done much more simply with subroutines. > ... > I have seen large (and expensive!) systems crippled by inappropriate use > of tasking, and I hope the the computer science graduates of the future > will understand not only HOW to use multi-tasking, but WHEN. > > Mark Shepherd > agcsun!marks@boulder.colorado.edu OK, so this begs the question: what is the "smallest" assignment that can use concurrency fruitfully. I would like to teach a bit about tasking in one of my classes, but I don't want students to get "wrong" ideas from the example I use. Anyone out there have such an assignment? Is there some prime example out there of a good use of multi-tasking that is amenable to classroom instruction? Rich Pattis .............................................................................. .............................................................................. .............................................................................. .............................................................................. .............................................................................. .............................................................................. ..............................................................................