Definition of the F⁻⁻ extension to fortran 90

Abstract

This paper describes a simple yet elegant extension to Fortran 90 as an alternative model for parallel programming. The model is the Single-Program-Multiple-Data (SPMD) programming model with a Fortran-like syntax to point from one memory image to another. Just as local coordinates are contained within parentheses for local memory images, global coordinates are contained within square brackets for remote memory images. A statement such as x(i,j) = y(i,j) [p,q] generates a load from address y(i, j) in memory image [p, q] followed by a store to address x (i , j) in the local memory image. The extension is simple not only for the programmer to understand and to use but also for the compiler developer to implement and to optimize.