Ebook: Communications of the ACM (Prolog)

COMMUNICATIONS OF THE ACM
December 1985
VOLUME 28, NUMBER 12

Articles
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1296 .... Prolog in 10 Figures
(Alain Colmerauer)
The theoretical model underlying logic programming in Prolog is
presented in 10 sequential figures.

1311 .... Describing Prolog by its Interpretation and Compilation
(Jacques Cohen)
Compilation and interpretation in Prolog - posed in the context
of their parallels in other languages - illustrate the
advantages Prolog presents in the area of symbolic processing.

Reports
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1326 .... Software Aspects of Strategic Defense Systems
(David Lorge Parnas)
A former member of an SDIO advisory panel explains why he
believes we can never be sure SDI software will work.

Computing Practices
-------------------

1336 .... Data Compression on a Database System
(Gordon V. Cormack)
General data-compression and expansion routines added to the
IMS system demonstrate how a wide variety of data can be
compressed using a single, fixed compression routine with almost
no working storage.

Research Contributions
----------------------

1344 .... Selecting MIS Projects by Steering Committee
(J.D. McKeen and Tor Guimaraes)
Using a steering committee to approve MIS projects alters a
very political process by changing the focus of authority and
often the personnel involved, resulting in a changed portfolio
of projects.

Departments
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1263 Authors
1265 ACM President's Letter
1271 ACM Forum
1275 From Washington
1277 Annual Report fo the Association for Computing Machinery for the Period Ending June 30, 1985
1353 Abstracts from Other ACM Publications
1355 Professional Activites
1357 Calendar of Events
1361 Call for Papers
1363 ACM News
1365 Report of the ACM Nominating Committee on Candidates for the 1986 ACM Election
1366 General News and Notes
1370 SIG Reference Guide
1372 Algorithm Index for 1985
1373 CACM Index for 1985

* Programming Pearls will return in January.

The cover illustration, which is based on Alain Colmerauer's article in this
issue exemplifies Prolog's use of trees as its basic data structure. In Prolog
a fact is represented by a tree drawn upside down, where each leaf and node
is labeled with an "atom" of information.

Cover concept is by Angelica Design
Group and illustration by Jo Anne Scribner