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Computer aided modelling and simulation
Book Reviews
588
pies. System Summaries. Hardware Availability. Computer Centers and Offices of the Future: Directions. The Future. References. Kai Hwang, Shun-Piao Su, and Lionel M. Ni, Vector computer architecture and processing techniques
Introduction. Vector-Processing Requirements. PipelineProcessor Design Considerations. Multiple-Pipeline Computers. Recent Advances in Array Processors. Vector Processor Performance Evaluation. Conclusions and Future Trends. References. Jean E. Sammet, An overview of high-level languages General Introduction. Trends and Activities. Relationship of High-Level Languages to Software Engineering and Software Methodology. Some "Modern" Languages. Research and Advanced Development Language Topics. Future Trends. Summary and Conclusions. References.
1982 D. M e a d o w s , J . R i c h a r d s o n a n d G. B r u c k m a n n : G r o p i n g in the D a r k : T h e F i r s t D e c a d e of G l o b a l M o d e l l i n g . John W i l e y a n d Sons Ltd., 1982, 311 pages, £11.00, I S B N 0-471-10027-7. This b o o k is b a s e d on the p r o c e e d i n g s of the Sixth I I A S A S y m p o s i u m on G l o b a l M o d e l i n g . It is a real life history of global modeling. It is conc e r n e d with the m a j o r m o d e l s a n d those w h o m a k e them. A feature is the honesty, the c a n d o u r a n d the clarity with which the a u t h o r s discuss w h a t global modeling thaught them about modeling and a b o u t the world. It could be d e s c r i b e d as a b o o k o n the sociology o f a new science struggling with p r o b l e m s too large for the p a r t i c i p a n t s , b u t too i m p o r t a n t to be ignored. This b o o k written in a very original f o r m a t is specially m e a n t for those who m a k e c o m p l e x m o d els of c o m p l e x social systems, for those w h o m a k e these systems work, a n d for those who live in a n d c a r e a b o u t the social systems that modellers m a k e a n d a b o u t which decision m a k e r s m a k e decisions. Contents:
Highlights: Lessons about the world, Lessons about modelling,
Lessons about global modelling practice. The editor's biases Chapter one: The history of the sixth IIASA Symposium on
Global Modelling, A short editorial appreciation, A lawyer's story.
Chapter two: What are global models and what have they thought us about the world, Models, Computer models, Global models, What they have learned so far, Another way to think. Chapter three: The cast of characters: an introduction to global models; The Forrester/Meadows models, The Measarovic/ Pestel models, The Bariloche Model, The Moira model, The Saru model, The Fugi model, The United Nations global model, How global models differ and why, How many worlds are there? Chapter four: The actors have their say, the questionnaire responses by the global modellers; The questionnaire, The Forrester/Meadows models The Mesarovic/Pestel model, The Bariloc model, The Moira model, The Saru model, The Fugi model, The United Nations global model. Chapter five: The state of the art as seen by the artists; summaries of conference sessions and comments on the questionnaire; The purpose and goals of global modelling, Methodological problems, Actors and policy variables, Structural aspects, Testing models, Organizing modelling work, Modeller-client relations, General evaluation. Chapter six: What have global models thought us about modelling? Let all the flowers flourish: areas of disagreement; This is the way modelling should be: areas of agreement; A final word about making models: A final word about using models: A final word about the globe.
J.A. Spriet and G.C. Vansteenkiste: C o m p u t e r A i d e d M o d e l l i n g a n d Simulation. A c a d e m i c Press, L o n d o n , 1982, 489 pages, £21.60, I S B N 0-12659050-8. This b o o k is a synthesis of the c o n t r i b u t i o n s m a d e t h r o u g h lectures, discussions a n d i n f o r m a l c o n v e r s a t i o n s held d u r i n g the I n t e r n a t i o n a l I B M C h a i r on C o m p u t e r Science. This I n t e r n a t i o n a l C h a i r was c r e a t e d b y I B M Belgium in c o o p e r a t i o n w i t h the Belgium N a t i o n a l F o u n d a t i o n for Scientific Research. T h e h o l d e r s of each chair cover a subject a r e a c o n s i d e r e d to b e of p a r t i c u l a r relevance to current d e v e l o p m e n t s in c o m p u t e r science. This Chair on C o m p u t e r - a i d e d m o d e l l i n g a n d simulation was held d u r i n g the a c a d e m i c y e a r 1979-1980 at the U n i v e r s i t y of Ghent. T h r o u g h o u t the b o o k , m o d e l l i n g a n d s i m u l a t i o n are c o n s i d e r e d together. A f t e r an i n t r o d u c t i o n , m o d e l l i n g o r i e n t e d topics are c o n s i d e r e d first. Basic a n d required k n o w l e d g e are covered in c h a p t e r two. M o d e l b u i l d i n g m e t h o d o l o g y for difference a n d differential e q u a t i o n s are h a n d l e d in c h a p t e r three, while p a r t i a l differential e q u a t i o n s are c o n s i d e r e d in c h a p t e r four. M e t h o d o l o g y for m o d e l i n f o r m a t i o n storage a n d i n t e g r a t i o n is the object
Book Reviews
of chapter five, while chapter six deals with support languages for model simulation. Chapter seven considers the hardware tools and their impact in simulation. Finally, chapter eight reports on simulation systems and architecture arising from methodological research. The literature in the area of modelling and simulation has previously been fragmented in a number of publications. This volume attempts a real synthesis of the field. Moreover, it is probably one of the first to address all important issues that
589
follow from a partnership between man and machine. Scientist and engineers with a basic knowledge of mathematics, including linear algebra and differential calculus, will find this an extremely useful guide to computer-aided modelling and simulation techniques. Applied mathematicians and computer scientists will also find here much interesting material and many suggestions for future research.
588
pies. System Summaries. Hardware Availability. Computer Centers and Offices of the Future: Directions. The Future. References. Kai Hwang, Shun-Piao Su, and Lionel M. Ni, Vector computer architecture and processing techniques
Introduction. Vector-Processing Requirements. PipelineProcessor Design Considerations. Multiple-Pipeline Computers. Recent Advances in Array Processors. Vector Processor Performance Evaluation. Conclusions and Future Trends. References. Jean E. Sammet, An overview of high-level languages General Introduction. Trends and Activities. Relationship of High-Level Languages to Software Engineering and Software Methodology. Some "Modern" Languages. Research and Advanced Development Language Topics. Future Trends. Summary and Conclusions. References.
1982 D. M e a d o w s , J . R i c h a r d s o n a n d G. B r u c k m a n n : G r o p i n g in the D a r k : T h e F i r s t D e c a d e of G l o b a l M o d e l l i n g . John W i l e y a n d Sons Ltd., 1982, 311 pages, £11.00, I S B N 0-471-10027-7. This b o o k is b a s e d on the p r o c e e d i n g s of the Sixth I I A S A S y m p o s i u m on G l o b a l M o d e l i n g . It is a real life history of global modeling. It is conc e r n e d with the m a j o r m o d e l s a n d those w h o m a k e them. A feature is the honesty, the c a n d o u r a n d the clarity with which the a u t h o r s discuss w h a t global modeling thaught them about modeling and a b o u t the world. It could be d e s c r i b e d as a b o o k o n the sociology o f a new science struggling with p r o b l e m s too large for the p a r t i c i p a n t s , b u t too i m p o r t a n t to be ignored. This b o o k written in a very original f o r m a t is specially m e a n t for those who m a k e c o m p l e x m o d els of c o m p l e x social systems, for those w h o m a k e these systems work, a n d for those who live in a n d c a r e a b o u t the social systems that modellers m a k e a n d a b o u t which decision m a k e r s m a k e decisions. Contents:
Highlights: Lessons about the world, Lessons about modelling,
Lessons about global modelling practice. The editor's biases Chapter one: The history of the sixth IIASA Symposium on
Global Modelling, A short editorial appreciation, A lawyer's story.
Chapter two: What are global models and what have they thought us about the world, Models, Computer models, Global models, What they have learned so far, Another way to think. Chapter three: The cast of characters: an introduction to global models; The Forrester/Meadows models, The Measarovic/ Pestel models, The Bariloche Model, The Moira model, The Saru model, The Fugi model, The United Nations global model, How global models differ and why, How many worlds are there? Chapter four: The actors have their say, the questionnaire responses by the global modellers; The questionnaire, The Forrester/Meadows models The Mesarovic/Pestel model, The Bariloc model, The Moira model, The Saru model, The Fugi model, The United Nations global model. Chapter five: The state of the art as seen by the artists; summaries of conference sessions and comments on the questionnaire; The purpose and goals of global modelling, Methodological problems, Actors and policy variables, Structural aspects, Testing models, Organizing modelling work, Modeller-client relations, General evaluation. Chapter six: What have global models thought us about modelling? Let all the flowers flourish: areas of disagreement; This is the way modelling should be: areas of agreement; A final word about making models: A final word about using models: A final word about the globe.
J.A. Spriet and G.C. Vansteenkiste: C o m p u t e r A i d e d M o d e l l i n g a n d Simulation. A c a d e m i c Press, L o n d o n , 1982, 489 pages, £21.60, I S B N 0-12659050-8. This b o o k is a synthesis of the c o n t r i b u t i o n s m a d e t h r o u g h lectures, discussions a n d i n f o r m a l c o n v e r s a t i o n s held d u r i n g the I n t e r n a t i o n a l I B M C h a i r on C o m p u t e r Science. This I n t e r n a t i o n a l C h a i r was c r e a t e d b y I B M Belgium in c o o p e r a t i o n w i t h the Belgium N a t i o n a l F o u n d a t i o n for Scientific Research. T h e h o l d e r s of each chair cover a subject a r e a c o n s i d e r e d to b e of p a r t i c u l a r relevance to current d e v e l o p m e n t s in c o m p u t e r science. This Chair on C o m p u t e r - a i d e d m o d e l l i n g a n d simulation was held d u r i n g the a c a d e m i c y e a r 1979-1980 at the U n i v e r s i t y of Ghent. T h r o u g h o u t the b o o k , m o d e l l i n g a n d s i m u l a t i o n are c o n s i d e r e d together. A f t e r an i n t r o d u c t i o n , m o d e l l i n g o r i e n t e d topics are c o n s i d e r e d first. Basic a n d required k n o w l e d g e are covered in c h a p t e r two. M o d e l b u i l d i n g m e t h o d o l o g y for difference a n d differential e q u a t i o n s are h a n d l e d in c h a p t e r three, while p a r t i a l differential e q u a t i o n s are c o n s i d e r e d in c h a p t e r four. M e t h o d o l o g y for m o d e l i n f o r m a t i o n storage a n d i n t e g r a t i o n is the object
Book Reviews
of chapter five, while chapter six deals with support languages for model simulation. Chapter seven considers the hardware tools and their impact in simulation. Finally, chapter eight reports on simulation systems and architecture arising from methodological research. The literature in the area of modelling and simulation has previously been fragmented in a number of publications. This volume attempts a real synthesis of the field. Moreover, it is probably one of the first to address all important issues that
589
follow from a partnership between man and machine. Scientist and engineers with a basic knowledge of mathematics, including linear algebra and differential calculus, will find this an extremely useful guide to computer-aided modelling and simulation techniques. Applied mathematicians and computer scientists will also find here much interesting material and many suggestions for future research.