Research in programming language design and formal specification for parallel processing.

• For an example project involving programming language design for parallel processing, see my web page and find relevant links listed below: "CS179e Project in compilers".
• The Ephemeral language is intended to be a low-level ISA-independent topology-independent target language for parallel processing compilers.
• It is also intended to be operable on machines with unusually simple processors that are incapable of supporting operating systems as we know them.
• By supporting the programming of massively parallel aggregations of extremely simple machines, it should be able to support wafer-scale parallel processors.
• During this project, I was able to run some toy problems, but it turned out that the type system was insufficient to support serious programming. Fortunately, it appears that there is an easy fix (involving some old ideas from OOP), which I hope to implement soon.


• In 1983, I started a project for the design of a general purpose programming language supporting formal specification and parallel processing (among other things).
• [1983-1985] I studied lambda calculus, graph theory, set theory, and class theory, and did a fair amount of research in lambda calculus, for the purpose of providing simple and powerful foundations for the programming language.
• [1986-1988] I decided to use a set theoretic foundation, and, in 1988, decided it was time to start implementing something.
• [1988-1988] I then started the process of obtaining approval (from employer Hughes Aircraft) to proceed independently with this research on my own time, with the product remaining my own property.
• [1989-1989] After some waiting and reflection, I decided to instead use a pure class theoretic foundation (TGF Classes!).
• [1988-1997] I held back on development, while waiting for IP waivers. I spent my spare research time on relatively minor projects.
• [1998-1998] I finally obtained the desired approval in 1998 (shortly after acquisition by Raytheon Systems).
• [1998-1999] After a "plant site closure" layoff in late 1998, I held back development another year, due to layoff package agreements.
• [1999-2007] After starting school again in 1999, research/development has been mostly on hold until recently (I received BSCS in 2004 and MSCS in 2008 December, and hopefully PhD CS later).
• [2008-2008] Research has finally resumed, due to my advisor allowing me to do this as my main project, and allowing me to start it before being advanced to PhD candidacy.
• [2008-2010] Research is moving slowly (as usual) as my advisor has me busy doing some other relatively publishable research related to my MS project.