sisal

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)
sisal
    n 1: a plant fiber used for making rope [syn: {sisal}, {sisal
         hemp}]
    2: Mexican or West Indian plant with large fleshy leaves
       yielding a stiff fiber used in e.g. rope [syn: {sisal},
       {Agave sisalana}]
from The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (8 July 2008)
SISAL

   <language> (Streams and Iteration in a Single Assignment
   Language) A general-purpose {single assignment} {functional
   programming language} with {strict} semantics, automatic
   parallelisation and efficient {arrays}.  Outputs a dataflow
   graph in {IF1} (Intermediary Form 1).  Derived from {VAL},
   adds {recursion} and finite {streams}.  {Pascal}-like syntax.
   Designed to be a common high-level language for numerical
   programs on a variety of {multiprocessors}.

   Implementations exist for {Cray X-MP}, {Cray Y-MP}, {Cray-2},
   {Sequent}, {Encore Alliant}, {dataflow} architectures,
   {transputers} and {systolic arrays}.

   Defined in 1983 by James McGraw et al, {Manchester
   University}, {Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory},
   {Colorado State University} and {DEC}.  Revised in 1985.
   First compiled implementation in 1986.  Performance superior
   to {C} and competitive with {Fortran}, combined with efficient
   and automatic parallelisation.

   Not to be confused with {SASL}.

   E-mail: John Feo <[email protected]>, Rod Oldehoeft
   <[email protected]>.

   David C. Cann has written an Optimising SISAL Compiler
   (ftp://sisal.llnl.gov/pub/sisal) (OSC) which attempts to make
   efficient use of {parallel processors} such as {Crays}.

   Latest version: 12.0, SISAL 1.2.

   ["A Report on the SISAL Language Project", J.T. Feo et al, J
   Parallel and Distrib Computing 10(4):349-366 (Dec 1990)].

   (2000-07-07)
from V.E.R.A. -- Virtual Entity of Relevant Acronyms (June 2006)
SISAL
       Streams and Iteration in a Single-Assignment Language
antiflux / dictionary / sisal
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