Writing Distributed Programs in Polylith

Abstract

Polylith is a software interconnection system that allows programmers to configure applications from mixed-language software components (modules), and then execute those applications in diverse environments. In general, communication between components can be implemented with TCP/IP or XNS protocols in a network; via shared memory between light-weight threads on a tightly coupled multiprocessor; using custom-hardware channels between processors; or using simply a 'branch' instruction within the same process space. Flexibility in how components are interconnected is made possible by a 'software bus' organization. This document serves as a manual for programmers who wish to use one particular software busthe TCP/IP-based network bus. (Also cross-referenced as UMIACS-TR-90-149)