Re: rewriting CSP processes

[tjoccam@xxxxxxxxxxxxx (Lawrence Dickson)]

On Sep 28, 12:20pm, "B.M. Cook" wrote:
} Subject: Re: rewriting CSP processes
} Ian,
}      Good to hear from you again, it's been too long :-(
} 
} > The new 3.0 release of Handel-C (now in Beta testing) handles multiple
} > clocks and deals with the metastability problems between clock domains.
} 
} That's great - I need multiple clocks for my interests and had to rule out
} Handel-C.
} 
} > There are also a very large number of other features added to the 
} > compilation/simulation system from the previous version. One reason
} > for mentioning this now, is that we would still welcome a few more sites
} > in the Beta testing programme.
} 
} We could only be involved if the license terms have changed, there was no
} way my organization could stand the cost of storing documents indefinately
} or of extending an open invitation to ESL to come and search the premises
} (they didn't even state what was the search was looking for!).
} 
} > Ian Page
} > Founder,
} > Celoxica Ltd.
} 
} Celoxica? That's new to me, is it a new name for ESL or something different?
} 
} 	      Barry.
} 
} -- 
} /----------------------------------------------------------------------------\
} | Barry M Cook, BSc, PhD, CEng, MBCS                                         |
} | Senior Lecturer,                           Department of Computer Science, |
} | Chartered Information Systems Engineer.    Keele University,               |
} |                                            Keele,                          |
} | Phone: +44 1782 583411                     Staffordshire,                  |
} | FAX:   +44 1782 713082                     ST5 5BG,                        |
} | email: barry@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx                UK.                             |
} \----------------------------------------------------------------------------/
} 
}-- End of excerpt from "B.M. Cook"



Barry and all,
   In all this discussion of multiple clocks and 
unclocked logic, I think this is the first mention
of metastability.
   That has always worried me, in all computer 
design including occam and CSP. Transforming a
smooth (time) function into a step function, and
deciding any race... Is it true there is always
a non-vanishing chance of failure?
   Larry