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Re: Intel: timely article



To summarise the past few hours - there are references to work we know, significant players (including Microsoft) are referencing it and are moving in a direction we advocate - I'd say this was cause for optimism.

Ian is rather negative - easy to do in the UK academic climate but not likely to achieve results.

Some time ago - a little before I left academic life - I decided to throw off the UK approach (find reasons why it can't be done) and adopt a US view (it's possible - I may not know how just yet, but I will). It is challenging but rewarding. As part of 4Links I'm part of delivering the impossible (what others claim is impossible) and it is a lot more satisfying than deciding it really is impossible.

I know academia in the UK is not good - I'm somewhat surprised that I have more time for research, attend more conferences and publish more papers than I did in academia - and the pay is better, too. Maybe industry is worth a try - although there are risks as well as rewards.

It IS possible to make transputer technology a success but it needs some flexibility to offer the right things to get into the right places - and accept that even if it isn't perfect it is what someone actually wants (i.e. pay for). There are more opportunities to be taken in all sorts of areas. The current interest in OS's and languages is returning to the levels of the 1970's - after the doldrums there is an opportunity to find receptive minds again. It can take a long time for good ideas to be recognised.

I've often had the impression that nothing is successful until it is re-invented by the US so maybe transatlantic alliances are more important than we've acknowledged.

The bottom line - there appears to be real cause for optimism, I hope it is infectious. CPA/WoTUG should be a time away from the negative atmosphere of UK academia to encourage each other and we might well be able to find a way forward - almost certainly by bending a little, by forging alliances with others and finding a way forward. It is also very UK to give up just before success (Transputer, Linear motors/Maglev etc.) - let's not do this but be encouraged to keep going.

      Barry.

Dr Barry M. Cook, BSc, PhD, CEng, MBCS, CITP, MIEEE
CTO,
4Links Limited,
The Mansion,
Bletchley Park,
MK3 6ZP,
UK.
----- Original Message ----- From: "P.H.Welch" <P.H.Welch@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: <Barry@xxxxxxxxxxxx>; <K.Chalmers@xxxxxxxxxxxx>; <paul@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: <java-threads@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, July 10, 2006 7:35 PM
Subject: Re: Intel: timely article



Barry,

Another article in the same issue - "Can  We Make Operating Systems =
Reliable and Secure?"

We (me and Fred) have had *some* contact with the Singularity people
at Microsoft:

 http://research.microsoft.com/os/singularity/

They have referenced our work (RMoX, occam-pi) - though not very
accurately!  But they do seem friendly, :).

Peter.