The transputer-a prototyping tool for systems

This article reviews the major features of the transputer, highlighting aspects of parallelism that are useful for prototyping (used in the sense of simulation and `breadboarding´). From the simulation point of view the parallelism allowed in occam can be exploited with advantage, and the resulting model can be run with efficient execution. Recent experience in the simulation of a very long instruction word computer is reported. If occam and the transputer are to be effective in breadboarding systems then it must be easy to: verify against requirements expressed in different ways; develop, in particular easy to read, debug, update, and analyse; interface, particularly to signal channels; and map to a permanent implementation. The article discusses how the transputer performs against these requirements and includes recent experience in interfacing and implementation mapping, and concludes that the transputer is an excellent tool for prototyping