The BSML library is a functional programming library for the Objective Caml language for direct-mode BSP (Bulk Synchronous Parallel) algorithms. It has been developped as part of our research program to investigate paradigms for functional parallel programming as special cases of standard semantics. The underlying assumption is that (efficient) parallel algorithms are special cases of (efficient) sequential algorithms and that using concurrent extensions of sequential languages to express them is both useless and harmful.
The first version of the BSML library was developped at the LIFO (Orléans University Computer Science Laboratory). Since version 0.2, the BSMLlib library is developped at the LIFO and the LACL (Laboratory of Algorithms, Complexity and Logic, University Paris XII Val de Marne).
BSML v 0.26 uses any MPI library. It is portable to any architecture which supports both Objective Caml and an MPI library. This new version has improved primitives, an improved standard library and is faster than version 0.1.
The changes in BSML v 0.26 w.r.t v 0.25 are internal changes to accomodate changes in the Objective Caml distribution.
Sucessfully installed and tested on the following machines (ocaml 3.09 or higher):
| Machine | Cluster | Cluster |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Ubuntu | MacOS X |
| Processors | Pentium IV | Power PC |
| MPI | MPICH | LAM MPI |